The Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) cracked down on criminals using foreign mobile phone SIM cards, rounding up 44 suspects from different parts of the country, a senior official of the agency's Cyber Crime Wing said on Friday.
Speaking at a news conference, Waqaruddin Syed, the Additional Director General of the FIA Cyber Crime Wing, said that British pre-activated SIM cards appeared to the most popular among those involved in cybercrimes in Pakistan.
"New methods are being used to harass people and one way is the use of foreign mobile SIMs [Subscriber Identity Modules] are being used in cybercrimes, such as financial fraud, kidnapping for ransom, child pornography and terrorism," Syed told a press conference in the federal capital.
"Mostly, British SIMs are being used in Pakistan, because these are easily available in the market, and are cheap, too. Criminals are using foreign SIMs extensively to hide their identities. Misuse of these SIMs is a punishable offence in Pakistan," he added.
According to Syed, the FIA registered 21 cases against the illegal purchase and sale of international SIMs and arrested 44 suspects. He also said that 8,363 British SIMs were recovered in raids in various cities, including Multan, Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Sukkur, and Abbottabad.
"These SIMs are illegally brought to Pakistan and purchased through online orders – cash on deliverythrough social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook," Syed said, adding that the FIA was taking action against those involved in it under the cybercrimes law.
The FIA official asked the social media companies to keep the data of the users of those SIMs, because if such SIMs were linked to terrorism or other heinous crimes, strict action would be taken against their users. However, he assured that there would be no issue for those who used such SIMs legally.
"A nationwide crackdown has been launched. This crackdown is just the beginning and further actions will be taken to eradicate the cybercrimes from Pakistan. The government of Pakistan will raise this matter with the British authorities," he said.
PTA raids
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Zonal Offices in Sukkur and Faisalabad, in collaboration with the FIA Cyber Crime Wing, successfully conducted raids targeting illegal issuance and sale of pre-activated international and local SIMs.
In Sukkur, a raid at Clock Tower led to the confiscation two international SIMs and five pre-activated Jazz SIM cards. According to a news release on Friday, the shop owner was taken into custody by the FIA and an FIR has been lodged.
Meanwhile, in Faisalabad, joint raids were carried out at three locations, resulting in the arrest of two individuals involved in the illegal sale of international SIMs. The recovered SIMs have been seized, and FIRs are under process. Further investigations and legal proceedings are underway.
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