The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Zonal Office in Lahore, in close collaboration with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Cyber Crime Circle, conducted a successful raid against a telco franchisee located at Depalpur, District Okara.
Prior to this, hundreds of complaints were received from poor female residents of the area regarding the misuse of their fingerprints and the unlawful issuance of SIMs under the guise of distributing Rashan through the BISP program.
During the raid, the FIA seized 25 suspicious SIMs, and 2 suspected BVS devices. The Retailer of the franchise was arrested on the spot and an FIR has been registered by the agency. FIA Cybercrime Circle is further investigating the case.
This action was the result of a complaint filed by the PTA with the FIA, concerning the illegal activation of SIMs through the sales channel.
The crackdown is part of PTA’s ongoing efforts to curtail the illegal issuance of SIMs and underscores the Authority’s dedication to eradicating the menace.