On September 7, the Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi took immediate notice of reports regarding the leakage of mobile SIMs data and ordered an urgent inquiry into the matter. According to a statement issued by the Interior Ministry, the National Cyber Crimes Investigation Agency has formed a special team which will submit its report within 14 days.

The ministry said the team will thoroughly examine the circumstances, identify those involved in the breach, and ensure legal action against them. Media reports claimed that data of all SIM holders, including that of Minister Naqvi, was being sold on Google, with mobile location information priced at Rs500, call records at Rs2,000, and details of foreign travel at Rs5,000.

The issue comes in the backdrop of a wider warning issued by the National Cyber Emergency Response Team of Pakistan (PKCERT) earlier this year. PKCERT revealed that login credentials and passwords of more than 180 million Pakistani internet users were stolen in a global data breach, exposing sensitive details from government portals, banks, and healthcare platforms.

The advisory said the leaked database, compiled through malware, was stored without encryption and could be exploited for phishing, credential stuffing, identity theft, or unauthorised access to official accounts. Citizens were advised to change passwords regularly and use reliable tools to monitor potential breaches.

In March, a separate Joint Investigation Team probing a Nadra data leak reported that the credentials of 2.7 million citizens had been compromised between 2019 and 2023. Officials said the latest investigation will aim to fix accountability and recommend safeguards to prevent such breaches in the future.