The chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has revealed that biometric records of around 600,000 people were recovered during raids conducted jointly with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA).
The disclosure was made during a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior.
According to the PTA chairman, the authority conducted 125 raids in collaboration with cybercrime authorities. During the operations, officials recovered 25,000 SIM cards and arrested 171 people.
He said biometric records were being leaked from the locations where they were stored, stressing the need to further strengthen security features.
The PTA chairman said 1.8 million SIM cards had been blocked over the past two-and-a-half years, while the authority was also working with the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to upgrade the system.
He added that mobile phone companies had also been taken on board to improve security measures.
Clarifying the limit on SIM cards, the PTA chairman said a maximum of five SIMs could be registered against a single Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC), and a sixth SIM could not be obtained.
During the meeting, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leader Khawaja Izharul Hassan said illegal SIMs had contributed to an increase in incidents such as terrorism and extortion. He also claimed that UK SIM cards were being sold locally through advertisements.
Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry said bank accounts were now also being rented out, with some people knowingly allowing their accounts to be used despite being aware that fraudulent funds could be transferred into them.
He urged the PTA, telecom companies and the State Bank of Pakistan to introduce additional security features to prevent such incidents.