NCCIA Raid Uncovers Biometric Data of 600,000 Citizens

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency has disclosed the recovery of fingerprints and other biometric information belonging to about 600,000 citizens during a raid linked to suspected cybercrime activity. The revelation emerged from a briefing to the National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control as lawmakers examined fraudulent calls, illegally issued SIMs, misuse of biometric information and financial scams affecting citizens across the country.

NCCIA officials told the committee that investigators had also arrested a suspect in Faisalabad who was found with 195 active mobile SIMs, 16 smartphones and 81 ATM cards issued by different banks. According to the agency, compromised biometric information and unlawfully obtained SIMs were being exploited in organised financial fraud, highlighting how stolen identity data can be combined with telecommunications and banking access to target victims.

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority provided lawmakers with a broader picture of illegal SIM activity. An official National Assembly account of the committee proceedings said approximately 18.2 million SIMs had been blocked during the preceding two and a half years. PTA also informed the committee that cellular operators had faced regulatory fines, while lawmakers pressed authorities for stronger safeguards against SIMs being issued or activated through misused identities.

Committee chairman Raja Khurram Shahzad Nawaz raised concerns about the frequency of scam calls in which criminals impersonate courier companies and other legitimate businesses. During the discussion, he also referred to the hacking of his own WhatsApp account, illustrating how digital fraud can affect both ordinary citizens and public officials. The committee sought explanations from regulators and service providers about weaknesses that allow criminals to obtain personal information and communication credentials.

The PTA chairman acknowledged concerns about the possible involvement of employees within mobile companies in leaking customer information. He cited a case from Rajanpur in which, according to the briefing, a woman's thumb impression was obtained on the pretext of providing ration assistance. A SIM was subsequently issued in her name and was later linked to terrorist activity. The account intensified lawmakers' calls for tighter controls over biometric verification and SIM registration procedures.

Minister of State for Interior and Narcotics Control Talal Chaudhry also warned the committee about what officials described as a growing "rent-a-bank-account" practice. Under the scheme, individuals allow other people to use their bank accounts in exchange for payment, creating another channel through which fraud proceeds can be transferred. Chaudhry said people participating in such arrangements could face imprisonment if their accounts were connected with illegal transactions.

The committee directed relevant institutions to strengthen safeguards around personal information and financial transactions. According to the National Assembly's official record, lawmakers called for improved verification technologies including facial and iris recognition, immediate customer notifications whenever a new SIM is issued, stronger monitoring systems and closer coordination among PTA, NADRA, banks, law-enforcement agencies and cellular operators. The committee also examined delays in blocking suspicious transactions and recovering fraudulently transferred funds.

The disclosure places renewed attention on the security of Pakistan's biometric, telecom and banking systems as more services rely on digital identity verification. The immediate challenge for regulators and law-enforcement agencies will be to determine how such a large volume of sensitive information reached suspected criminals, identify weaknesses across the verification chain and implement the safeguards demanded by parliament. Further enforcement against illegal SIM networks, compromised customer data and fraudulent bank-account use is expected to remain a major focus of Pakistan's cybercrime response.