Some police officers have been found involved in the sale of citizens’ data, according to sources within the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).
Sources revealed that an investigation found these officers have been obtaining and selling telecom users’ data for personal gain.
The sources added that police officers from Balochistan, Punjab, and Sindh were involved in the sale of data, with each officer selling a user’s data for between Rs. 2,500 to Rs. 3,000. The officers were earning around Rs. 250,000 daily from this illegal activity.
When caught, the officers claimed that their accounts had been compromised. However, the PTA sources have raised concerns about the breach of privacy and security of citizens’ data.
PTA has recommended developing a strategy to prevent the leakage of citizens’ data through police officers and security personnel. PTA has also written a letter to the Ministry of Interior, requesting a change in its Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to prevent such incidents in the future.
