Police Officers Uncovered in Scheme Selling Mobile User Data
The Ministry of Interior has received a notification highlighting that 72 investigative officers have access to telecom consumers’ data, according to sources from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).
PTA’s inquiry into 21 data leakage complaints revealed the involvement of police officers in selling consumer information. The investigation found that officers from Balochistan, Punjab, and Sindh were engaged in this illegal activity, selling personal data for amounts ranging between Rs. 2,500 and Rs. 3,000, and reportedly earning up to Rs. 250,000.
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When confronted, the officers implicated in these sales claimed their accounts had been compromised. In response to these findings, the PTA has notified the Ministry of Interior, alerting them to the security breaches facilitated by law enforcement personnel. The PTA has urged the ministry to revise its Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and implement a robust strategy to prevent further data leaks by police officers and security officials.
