Govt Forms Team to Probe Mobile SIMs Data Leak

The federal government has constituted a special investigation team (SIT) to urgently probe a significant data breach and leak of sensitive data, the Ministry of Interior announced on Sunday.

The swift action was ordered directly by Federal Minister for Interior, Mohsin Naqvi. According to a series of tweets from the ministry’s official account, @MOIofficialGoP, the Minister took immediate notice of reports concerning the “leak of registration data and its related news.”

In response, the minister has tasked the National Cyber Crimes Investigation Agency (NCCIA) – the federal body responsible for combating cybercrime – with leading a “private and thorough investigation” into the matter.

The ministry’s statement identified that “criminal elements” were involved in the breach, which compromised the registration data system.

The investigative team has been given a strict, non-negotiable deadline. The SIT is ordered to complete its comprehensive investigation and present its findings and a detailed report to the ministry within the next 14 days.

The core mandate of the investigation is to identify the individuals behind the leak and ensure they are brought into the legal framework for prosecution. The ministry’s tweet stated the objective is to “identify the criminal elements involved and initiate legal proceedings against them.”

This move highlights the government’s increasing concern over cyber security and the protection of citizen data. The formation of a high-powered SIT under the NCCIA indicates the seriousness with which the authorities are treating this breach.

Further details regarding the nature of the leaked data, the specific registration system involved, and the potential impact have not been immediately disclosed by the ministry, citing the ongoing investigation. The public and stakeholders are awaiting the SIT’s report, expected in two weeks, for more clarity on the incident and the measures to be taken to prevent future violations.