RAWALPINDI: The Federal Investigation Agency’s Cyber Crime Circle Rawalpindi detained a suspect allegedly involved in the illegal sale of international SIMs as nationwide crackdown against elements involved in buying and selling of such SIMs is continuing.

A spokesman for the FIA said that a suspect involved in selling of illegal international SIMs was arrested by the FIA from Gulshan Ali Colony Lahore. The suspect was identified as Mohammad Salman Butt.

He said that thearrested suspect was buying and selling international SIMs through social media as international numbers were used in illegal activities.

The SIMs was being used in blackmail, extortion, fraud, fake schemes and online financial fraud, said the spokesman, adding that as many as 58 illegal SIMs and mobile phones were recovered from the arrested suspect.

The spokesperson said the raid was carried out along with a team from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, said the spokesman.

The suspect has been arrested and an investigation launched. Raids are also being conducted to arrest other suspects, the spokesman added.

Earlier this month, the additional director general of cyber crimes had disclosed that illegal international SIMs, particularly those from the United Kingdom, were being widely used in Pakistan for serious crimes.

He also disclosed during a press conference that the FIA Cyber Crime Wing had for the first time launched a crackdown against unauthorised trade of illegal international SIMs. As many as 44 accused were arrested from Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Peshawar, Sukkur and Abbottabad.

Published in Dawn, March 1st, 2025