Tech Desk 
Sep 02, 2025
An undated image. — Canva
The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunications has voiced grave alarm over increasing incidents of cyber fraud and scams in Pakistan, resulting in losses of more than Rs3 billion.
Chaired by Senator Palwasha Khan, the committee called officials of the National Cyber Crimes Investigation Agency (NCCIA) for a briefing.
The NCCIA officials stated that over 60% of all complaints they receive are connected to online financial crimes, adding that the actual figure is likely much higher because many cases go unreported.
The officials claimed citizens are being trapped by scam calls asking for fake courier identification, mobile codes, phishing, and even by hacking their victims' WhatsApp accounts.
Notably, the hackers can then use these accounts to impersonate their victims and ask for money from family and friends. In the last year, the NCCIA has raided 63 illegal call centres, arrested 450 suspects, and detected Rs720 million in fraud.
Lawmakers also discussed telecommunication transparency issues and displayed indignation that Jazz could get tariff approvals that amounted to Rs6 billion after audit officials informed them that they had not been given the relevant records.
Senator Anusha Rahman also condemned the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) for its failure to properly oversee the process and for the damage it has brands and the private sector and its reputation.
Concerns were also raised about delays in appointments to the telecom tribunal, which has left spectrum-related cases pending in multiple courts. Lawmakers accused telecom firms of “forum shopping” to delay legal proceedings.
