FIA arrests 8 in nationwide crackdown on illegal SIMs

The Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested eight people and seized over 7,000 illegal SIM cards during a crackdown, according to a press release issued on Wednesday.

According to the statement, both agencies launched joint raids in Multan, Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, and Karachi, “seizing thousands of illegal pre-activated international SIMs”.

“In Multan, five raids resulted in the confiscation of 7,064 SIMs and the arrest of eight individuals,” the release read. “In Lahore and Gujranwala, authorities seized a total of 252 SIMs, leading to the arrest of both shop owners.”

Meanwhile, in Rawalpindi, 335 UK SIMs were seized among other illegal cards in the raids. In Karachi, 10 SIMs were confiscated and a shop owner was taken into custody, the release read.

“PTA remains committed to combating illegal SIM sales and urges the public to cooperate … in ensuring a secure digital environment,” the release concluded.

Last week, the FIA stated that illegal international SIMs, particularly those from the United Kingdom, are being widely used in Pakistan for serious crimes, including child pornography, kidnapping for ransom and online financial fraud.

Addressing a press conference, Additional Director General of the FIA Cybercrime Wing Waqaruddin Syed said that the cybercrime wing launched, for the first time, a crackdown on the unauthorised trade of illegal SIMs and as many as 44 suspects were arrested from Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Peshawar, Sukkur and Abbottabad.

He said that a total of 8,363 international SIMs from the UK were recovered, adding that 21 cases were registered nationwide.