Islamabad (nytoday) — The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology, chaired by Senator Palwasha Khan, held a detailed meeting to review large-scale financial embezzlement linked to illegal call centres operating across the country. During the session, officials revealed that fraudulent call centres were allegedly siphoning off nearly Rs 150 million every month.
Briefing the committee, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officials stated that the matter falls under the jurisdiction of the Anti-Corruption Wing. FIRs have been registered against 13 accused individuals involved in the scam, with total embezzlement estimated at around Rs 300 million. So far, Rs 1.5 million has been recovered from a sub-inspector implicated in the case. Three suspects remain absconding, while five others have obtained bail. FIA officials added that as investigations progress, involvement of personnel from other departments cannot be ruled out.
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Senator Pervez Rashid highlighted that the issue of fake call centres has persisted for years, recalling earlier warnings that some were even being operated from vehicles, allegedly with the backing of government officials. He questioned why Pakistan has struggled to curb these crimes when other countries have successfully dismantled similar networks, noting that global complaints often point towards Pakistani-based call centre scams.
FIA officials informed the committee that the National Cyber Crime Investigation (NCCI), previously part of the FIA, now operates as an independent body and is examining the case as a federal anti-corruption matter. Meanwhile, the Secretary of the Ministry of IT clarified that call centres themselves are legal and registered entities, but those involved in fraudulent activities are illegal. Currently, nearly 3,000 call centres are registered nationwide.
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NCCI officials disclosed that around 150,000 cybercrime complaints were received last year, while a major crackdown in Karachi has led to arrests, with further action underway. The Additional Home Secretary praised FIA’s efforts, stressing that rapidly evolving technology makes cybercrime increasingly complex, extending beyond call centres to social media platforms.
The meeting also addressed separate grievances raised by Brigadier (retd) Zulfiqar, CEO of Pak Datacom, who alleged injustice by the company’s board and the Ministry of IT. He claimed he was unfairly treated despite improving the company’s performance. Other discussions included governance issues at PTCL, the utilisation of the Universal Service Fund (USF), and plans by PTA to issue district-level internet licences to reduce government costs and enhance digital connectivity.
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The committee emphasised the need for sustained action, improved technology adoption, and stronger coordination among institutions to effectively combat cybercrime and fraudulent call centres.