ISLAMABAD – Lawmakers have expressed serious concern after reports revealed that senators and members of the National Assembly were tricked through fake calls and WhatsApp scams. The issue came under discussion during a Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting meeting chaired by Senator Ali Zafar at PTV Headquarters in Islamabad.
Officials from the Ministry of Information and the National Cybercrime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) briefed the committee on the situation. They disclosed that nine MNAs were defrauded by criminals using the name of ruling party Senator Irfan Siddiqui. The senator told the committee that despite four complaints, no concrete action had been taken so far.
According to officials, fraudsters used fake calls to solicit money. So far, PKR 1.3 million has been recovered, and four suspects are in custody, with efforts ongoing to catch the main culprit. In separate cases of WhatsApp hacking, NCCIA recovered PKR 10 million in the past five months.
The committee demanded a detailed report on the financial fraud linked to Senator Irfan Siddiqui’s name. Members stressed the need for stricter measures to protect lawmakers and citizens from rising cyber scams.
Other issues were also raised during the session. PPP Senator Waqar Mehdi highlighted a case involving a state TV anchor who allegedly used derogatory language against the Sindhi community on social media. The committee recommended registering an FIR against the anchor under the PECA Act.
NCCIA officials further revealed that illegally obtained SIMs were being used in terrorism-related activities. They reported filing 611 fraud cases, 320 harassment cases, and 10 cases against journalists this year.
Senator Pervaiz Rashid also complained about threats and harassment after a Senate speech, expressing frustration that no official inquiry had been made.
The committee was informed that 372 illegal cases were registered under PECA across provinces, despite new amendments barring this practice. These cases will now be forwarded to the NCCIA under the 2025 amendment.
Chairman Ali Zafar termed these provincial cases illegal and formed a sub-committee to address the matter. Journalist Tayyab Baloch also attended the meeting, with the chairman requesting him to submit demands in writing for further review.
In other news read more about ‘My Wife Being Pressured to Leave Me,’ Tayyab Baloch Speaks Out on Threats
