A report regarding an issue with citizens’ information at the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) was given to the interior ministry on Tuesday by a team known as the Joint Investigation Team (JIT).
The Interior Ministry must investigate what transpired with the stolen data per directives from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). Alongside the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), and Military Intelligence, they will collaborate.
According to the research, 27 million Pakistanis’ data was stolen between 2019 and 2023. Included in this were representatives from the Nadra offices in Karachi, Peshawar, and Multan.
The JIT discovered that the stolen information travelled from Multan to Peshawar and finally to Dubai. Then, it was sold in Romania and Argentina, among other nations.
A few senior Nadra personnel who were engaged in the data leak should be punished, according to the report.
The FIA Director of Cybercrime oversaw the JIT. It was designed to test a cyber*attack that occurred in March 2023, during which an intruder gained access to the system and stole personal data, including that of military authorities.
Following the inquiry, the JIT reported its findings to Anwaarul Haq Kakar, the acting prime minister at the time. He directed NADRA to follow the report’s recommendations.
The goal of the report is to ensure the security of people’s information. It addresses enacting new legislation and utilising improved technology. The Prime Minister’s directives are already being implemented.