The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has arrested a woman on Wednesday for running an operation that turned stolen SIM cards into fake WhatsApp accounts sold to buyers across the country.
The arrest followed a complaint filed by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). NCCIA officials picked up Safia Afzal, who belongs to Sahiwal, accusing her of acquiring activated SIM cards through unlawful channels, then using them to register WhatsApp accounts that were later sold off to different clients.
NCCIA investigation officer Umme Salma stated that the suspect was not working alone but was part of a larger network built around exploiting digital identities. “Efforts are underway to identify and apprehend other facilitators and associates linked to the network,” she said.
During the raid, agency personnel seized 310 active SIM cards belonging to various telecom companies, along with a mobile phone recovered from the suspect.
The investigation officer added that all digital material collected has been sent for forensic review. “All digital evidence has been taken into custody for forensic examination and technical analysis to determine the scale of the network, trace financial transactions, analyse digital activities, and identify additional individuals involved,” she stated.
Authorities have registered a case against Afzal under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2016, amended in 2025, along with other applicable legal provisions.
