GUJRAT: In a crackdown on the illegal internet service providers (ISPs), two networks working in Gujrat’s two towns closely locating along the border of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, have been unearthed in a joint operation conducted by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on Tuesday.
The networks have been traced and caught in Sara-i-Alamgir and a small town Karianwala.
A senior FIA official told Dawn that the PTA had complained about the existence of some illegal ISPs in Gujrat district after which a crackdown was launched by the Gujranwala FIA Zone in collaboration with PTA.
He said it was being suspected that these illegal service providers were involved in extending the services to AJK areas such as Mirpur and Bhimbher districts locating close to Gujrat district; however, further investigation was underway.
During the operation, he said an illegal ISP set-up located at Habib Plaza, Karianwala being run by Ijaz Butt was unearthed.
The set-up was being used to provide internet services through fibre optic and point-to-point (P2P) links in the Karianwala area. The bandwidth for the illegal set-up was being extended by M/s Waylink, a Class Value-Added Services (CVAS) licencee in Punjab, through an upstream link provided by PTCL.
During the raid, equipment, including Cloud Switch Router (MikroTik) – 01OLT – 03GPON ONU – 04Radius Server – 0, was recovered.
The subscriber details at the time of the raid were as active users 112 and total registered users were 186
The Gujrat FIA circle have registered a case.
Similarly in another raid, an illegal ISP network located opposite Shan Baker, main GT Road, Sara-i-Alamgir, was traced which was being run by Nadeem Ahmad. The set-up was being used to provide internet services through fibre optic in the Sara-i-Alamgir area.
The subscriber details at the time of the raid were 271 active users and total registered users were 315.
The Gujrat FIA cricle arrested suspect Nadeem Ahmad.
Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2026
