According to a report by the Pakistan Joint Investigation Team (JIT), the personal data of 2.7 million Pakistanis was stolen from 2019 to 2023, reported Pakistani daily The News International.
The data, it added, was collected by the National Database Registration Authority (NADRA) and sold in Argentina and Romania.
According to the JIT report, the data was taken from Multan to Peshawar and then to Dubai. It is believed that the data was collected by NADRA offices in Multan, Peshawar, and Karachi. After the information about the data breach was received, the JIT was formed to investigate the matter.
After the JIT report was submitted, the caretaker prime minister directed the NADRA to take all necessary measures to protect the citizens’ data. The JIT report recommends that NADRA should adopt a number of measures to safeguard the data of citizens, including introducing technology upgrades and regulatory actions.
In light of the JIT report’s recommendations, the government has launched a number of measures to protect the citizens’ data. These measures include the introduction of a national data protection policy, the establishment of a data governance board, and the implementation of a data preservation law. The government has also taken steps to strengthen the data security infrastructure of Pakistan.
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