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The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) launched joint raids in Pano Aqil City and Toba Tek Singh against IMEI cloning and SIM fraud.
On April 19, 2025, PTA’s Sukkur office, along with FIA Cyber Crime Reporting Center, raided a mobile shop in Old Sabzi Mandi, Pano Aqil City.
The authorities confiscated a Dell Core i5 laptop, a USB device with CM2 software used for tampering with IMEIs, and five mobile phones during the operation, while the shop owner was arrested and later registered an FIR.
The equipment was used for illegal IMEI manipulation, which poses serious national security threats.
READ: CM Sindh orders crackdown on stolen mobile sales
IMEI tampering enables untraceable communications and can aid in cybercrime, financial fraud, and other illicit activities across the digital and telecom landscape.
Meanwhile, in Lahore, PTA’s zonal team and FIA’s Cyber Crime Circle Faisalabad raided a Ufone franchise in Toba Tek Singh for illegal SIM activations.
Seven Biometric Verification System (BVS) devices and 209 suspicious SIMs – belonging to Ufone, Telenor, and Jazz – were recovered during the operation.
The franchise manager was arrested, and an FIR was filed. PTA lodged the initial complaint after noticing violations in biometric verification protocols.
The raids are part of PTA’s national campaign to stop illegal handset and SIM registration practices that undermine digital safety in Pakistan.
