The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has uncovered a disturbing trend involving police officers in Balochistan, Punjab, and Sindh. These officers are allegedly responsible for leaking and selling sensitive mobile phone SIM data of consumers in the open market.

The PTA has brought this issue to the attention of the Ministry of Interior, urging a revision of existing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to prevent further breaches.

An investigation into 21 complaints revealed that 72 investigating officers had access to the leaked data. These officers reportedly sold the data for prices ranging from Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000 per user, earning an estimated Rs 2 lakh to Rs 2.5 lakh daily.

When confronted, the implicated officers claimed that their accounts were misused by others. However, the PTA maintains that telecom companies did not provide the data, and false cases were registered against their officials.

Despite the seriousness of the allegations, the PTA lacks the authority to take direct action against the officers.

The authority has formally requested the Ministry of Interior to amend its SOPs and implement a robust strategy to prevent such data leaks by security personnel.

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This incident highlights the urgent need for stricter regulations and accountability measures within law enforcement agencies to protect sensitive citizen data and prevent its misuse.

The authorities must take swift action to investigate these allegations thoroughly, bring the perpetrators to justice, and restore public trust in law enforcement.