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       The Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested the owner of a telecom franchise allegedly involved in illegally issuing SIMs in Punjab’s Mianwali district, a press release said on Tuesday.

       Last month, the FIA and the PTA arrested at least 54 people across the country while over 15,000 illegal SIMs were seized in separate joint raids carried out as part of an ongoing crackdown.

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       In a statement today, the PTA said it conducted a “successful raid on Ufone Franchise in Mianwali” in collaboration with the FIA’s Lahore Cyber Crime Circle.

       “The franchise was found to be involved in the illegal issuance of SIMs. During the operation, 496 digital fingerprint impressions (single impressions), Biometric Verification System (BVS) devices, two scanners, and a laptop were seized,” the PTA said.

       It added that the FIA team confiscated those items as evidence and the “franchise owner” was arrested with a first information report registered against him for further legal action.

       “The FIA Cyber Crime Circle has launched an investigation to identify additional offenders,” the telecom regulatory authority said.

       It highlighted that the raids are part of its ongoing efforts to prevent the circumvention of the Multi-Finger Biometric Verification System (MBVS).

       “This resolute and unwavering commitment underscores the authority’s dedication to eradicating the illegal issuance of SIMs,” the PTA asserted.

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       Last month, the FIA’s Rawalpindi Cyber Crime Circle detained a suspect from Lahore’s Gulshan Ali Colony for alleged involvement in the illegal sale of international SIMs.

       In February, FIA (cybercrime wing) Additional Director General Waqaruddin Syed said as many as 44 suspects had been arrested from Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Peshawar, Sukkur and Abbottabad.

       He further said a total of 8,363 international SIMs from the United Kingdom had been recovered, with 21 cases registered nationwide.