Islamabad, Feb 20: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), in collaboration with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Cyber Crime Wing, has intensified its crackdown on illegal pre-activated international SIMs, conducting raids across major cities including Multan, Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, and Karachi.
The largest bust took place in Multan, where authorities confiscated 7,064 illegal SIMs and arrested eight individuals in five separate raids. In Lahore and Gujranwala, a total of 252 SIMs were recovered, leading to the arrest of shop owners involved in illegal sales.
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Meanwhile, in Rawalpindi, authorities recovered multiple illicit SIMs, including 335 UK-registered SIMs from a previous operation. Karachi saw a smaller-scale bust, with 10 illegal SIMs seized and a shop owner taken into custody.
The PTA emphasized its commitment to curbing illegal SIM sales, urging the public to report such activities through the PTA website to ensure a secure digital environment. This operation highlights the ongoing efforts to tackle cyber fraud, illegal telecommunications activities, and SIM-related crimes in Pakistan.
