Govt Considers Face, IRIS Scans For SIM Issuance After Biometric Data Theft

Pakistan is considering facial and iris recognition for SIM issuance as authorities acknowledge that the existing fingerprint based biometric system is outdated and vulnerable to data theft.

Key points

• While data belonging to 600, 000 residents was recovered, the NCCIA and PTA additionally raided 110 facilities, blocked 29, 000 illegal SIM cards and arrested 171 suspects.
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• Illegal, AI Funds Transfer Networks Particularly Active in Pakistan and India: FATF.
• PTA Chairman retired Major General Hafeezur Rehman remarked scammers were obtaining fingerprints from airports, driving license centers, passport offices and possibly even NADRA.
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Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry informed a National Assembly committee that the current system had failed to fully prevent identity and financial fraud despite a crackdown that has led to the blocking of 18.2 million illegal SIM cards over the past two and a half years.

PTA Chairman retired Major General Hafeezur Rehman remarked scammers were obtaining fingerprints from airports, driving license centers, passport offices and possibly even NADRA. He remarked the biometric system employed for SIM issuance was being bypassed.

NCCIA Director Irfanullah Khan remarked criminals were exploiting gaps in the system and informed the committee that the agency had seized 195 active SIM cards and 81 ATM cards applied by scammers. While data belonging to 600, 000 residents was recovered, the NCCIA and PTA additionally raided 110 facilities, blocked 29, 000 illegal SIM cards and arrested 171 suspects.

Chaudhry additionally triggered concern over the growing apply of rented or mule bank accounts to launder proceeds from scams. He pressed telecom businesses to strengthen their security systems in coordination with the PTA.

While an SBP official suggested linking each SIM to a single IMEI number, the PTA chief proposed issuing SIMs only through NADRA's PAKID system. MNA Khawaja Izharul Hassan proposed automatic SMS alerts whenever more than one SIM is issued against a citizen's CNIC.

In practice, the committee directed the Interior Ministry to bring together the SBP, PTA, NCCIA and telecom operators to develop legislative, regulatory and technical measures to curb illegal SIMs and strengthen cybersecurity. Stay Connected with ProPakistani.

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For now, govt Considers Face, IRIS Scans For SIM Issuance After Biometric Data Theft remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.