Pakistan blocks over 1,300 websites, apps selling citizens' leaked data
Report reveals personal information of thousands of Pakistanis, including federal ministers and high-ranking officials, compromised and being sold online
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) announced on Tuesday that it has blocked more than 1,300 websites, apps, and social media pages found to be involved in the sale of leaked personal data belonging to Pakistani citizens.
The move comes in response to a local news report revealing that personal information of thousands of individuals — including federal ministers and high-ranking officials — had been compromised and was being sold online.
The leaked data reportedly includes mobile subscriber addresses, call logs, national identity card (CNIC) copies, and records of international travel, affecting individuals across various levels of government.
According to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), only licensed telecom operators are authorized to manage and store subscriber data.
"As part of its ongoing crackdown on unlawful content, PTA has blocked 1,372 websites, apps, and social media pages involved in the sale or distribution of personal data," the authority said in a statement.
The PTA clarified that an initial review of the compromised datasets suggests the information was aggregated from multiple external sources and not directly from licensed telecom operators. The datasets reportedly contain family details, travel history, vehicle registrations, and CNIC images.
The regulator also confirmed that no data breaches were found within the licensed telecom sector.
In response to the breach, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Monday ordered a formal investigation, directing the National Cyber Crimes Investigation Agency to examine the incident and submit a report within 14 days.
Local media reports indicate that several websites were offering the stolen data at extremely low prices — including mobile location data for Rs500, full mobile usage records for Rs2,000, and international travel details for Rs5,000.
This incident is the latest in a series of data breaches impacting Pakistani citizens. In May 2025, the National Cybercrime Emergency Response Team warned that login credentials for over 180 million internet users in Pakistan had been stolen in a global breach, urging the public to take immediate security precautions.
Earlier, in March 2024, a joint investigation team probing a breach at the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) reported to the Interior Ministry that the credentials of approximately 2.7 million individuals had been compromised between 2019 and 2023.