Four held as NCCIA busts network trading govt officials’ data for few thousand rupees

• Committee formed in Karachi with SBP to handle related cases.
• Action underway against govt servants suspected of data breach.
• NCCIA stresses awareness essential to prevent such cybercrimes.
  

The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) said on Friday it has cracked down on an organised ring in South Punjab accused of selling sensitive personal data of key individuals for a few thousand rupees, according to its director general, Syed Khurram Ali.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Khurram Ali said four people involved in data selling had been arrested so far.

He said the group was involved in leaking and selling information linked to important personalities and that investigations had also revealed the involvement of people within different institutions who were providing access to data.

“We have learnt that individuals in various departments were providing details for data leakage,” he said.

He said the agency was maintaining a zero-tolerance policy on data leaks and the sale of personal information.

“Data leakage and selling of personal information is being dealt with under a zero-tolerance policy,” he said.

Ali said citizens’ personal data was being passed on to foreign intelligence agencies.

He said the investigation had uncovered gangs involved in leaking sensitive information, including banking and identity-related data.

A special committee had also been formed in Karachi with the State Bank of Pakistan to address such cases, he added.

He said those involved included officials with access to official databases and that action was underway against government employees linked to the illegal sale of data.

“The data being sold included information related to national security and important personalities,” he said.

He added that awareness about cybercrime was essential to prevent such incidents.

Separately, he said NCCIA’s Lahore office was handling the case involving actor Momina Iqbal, and that the investigation would be completed in days rather than months.

Responding to questions, he rejected claims that the agency had delayed action in the case.

“As soon as she came to Lahore, action was initiated,” he said.

He added that the NCCIA currently has 480 personnel across the country and that capacity-building efforts were underway.

In recent weeks, the agency has also carried out several other operations, including cracking down on a fake call centre in Lahore and arresting suspects linked to online financial fraud.

Earlier in May, NCCIA Punjab arrested 13 people in a crackdown on alleged anti-state social media activity, while last month, a man was detained in Lahore over alleged anti-army posts on social media.