PTA chairman confirms Pakistani citizens’ personal data being sold on dark web

Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Major General (R) Hafeez-ur-Rehman, confirmed on Friday that the personal data of Pakistani citizens has been discovered on the dark web.

The disclosure was made during a session of the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication, chaired by Senator Palwasha Mohammad Zai Khan. The committee was convened to address recent media reports suggesting a significant data breach within the telecom sector.

“A report emerged three weeks ago indicating that data belonging to Pakistani citizens had surfaced on the dark web. After verification, we confirmed its authenticity,” said the PTA chairman.

According to him, the leaked data includes sensitive information such as copies of Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs), travel history, and mobile SIM registration details.

He explained that mobile SIM data is not stored in a centralized database; rather, each telecom operator maintains its own records. However, he expressed concern over how this decentralized information had collectively ended up on the dark web.

“What’s alarming is the manner in which this fragmented data has been consolidated and leaked,” he noted.

He also revealed that the data of individuals who had applied for Hajj was among the compromised information now circulating online.

“We are currently examining the leaked material to assess whether it stems from an old breach or a more recent incident,” he said, adding that the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) is actively investigating the matter.

The PTA chairman disclosed that a full personal data profile of an individual is being sold on the dark web for as little as Rs500.