In a shocking revelation and a serious data security breach, a joint investigation team has confirmed that the personal information of 2.7 million Pakistanis was stolen from the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) database, as reported by Geo News on Tuesday, citing sources.
The investigation team uncovered the scandal in its report submitted to the Ministry of Interior, revealing that the data theft occurred between 2019 and 2023.
Syed Waqaruddin, an official from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), led the JIT, which included representatives from sensitive agencies and nominees from Nadra.
According to sources, the JIT has concluded its investigation into the significant breach of Nadra’s database, and officials at the ministry are currently reviewing the report compiled by the panel.
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The JIT report identifies that the data theft occurred at Nadra’s offices in Multan, Karachi, and Peshawar. It has recommended taking action against the relevant senior officials at Nadra whose negligence allowed this massive data breach to occur.
The stolen data was reportedly transferred from Multan to Peshawar before being sent to Dubai. Furthermore, the JIT report indicates evidence suggesting that the stolen Nadra data was later sold in Argentina and Romania.
The government formed the JIT following a cyber security incident in March 2023.
Previously, concerns about data security arose when information about senior military officials was leaked, drawing media attention to the issue.
