National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) has set up a helpline, 1717, where citizens can report any suspicious activity they see. The helpline was launched to improve security for the citizens by sourcing information from the public. However, the helpline dedicated to stopping terrorism has become subject to the public’s pranks.
Officials have revealed that during the first 20 days of July they received 8,264 prank or spam calls and only 41 legitimate calls. Only very few of the calls were actionable. Details have revealed that two types of prank calls were received.
Just in 20 Days, 8,264 of 8,305 Calls were Spam
One type of callers waste the operators’ time by asking irrelevant questions like their marital status or making marriage proposals. Sometimes mothers have used the helpline to stop their kids from crying.
The other type of callers try to prank the officials by claiming false information. Some callers inform the operators that they are planning an act of terrorism while others make claims of planting bombs in important places of the country.
According to the Telegraphic Act, such callers can be prosecuted under the penalty of law for up to three years in prison. One caller in April claimed to have fitted bombs in Parliament House, Saddar Rawalpindi and a five star hotel in the area. He was apprehended and is facing charges for the prank call and under the Anti-terrorism Act.
Any spam caller can be imprisoned for 3 years and prosecuted for support of terrorism
The figures and details were revealed in NACTA’s internal monthly meeting chaired by the National Coordinator Ahsan Ghani. The members were informed that NATCA is facing a shortage of resources and is facing difficulty maintain the helpline.
He was also informed that 75 SIMs were used to make over 50 prank calls each. These SIMs, used for bogus calls, have either been blocked already or are in the process of being blocked by the PTA.
NACTA has also set up a caller tune which tells the caller of the consequences of making any fake calls. They are warned that legal action will be taken against them if such an act is carried out.
Yet again, a service was set up to save lives and receive critical information but Pakistani citizens found it fun to waste time and precious resources by making prank calls. While these foolish people are wasting the operators’ time, someone with real information could be waiting in the queue. Such a prank could become the cause of death of several people. We request our readers to avoid such activities, no prank is worth the lives of others.
This was left to be seen. Feeling ashamed of being a Pakistani . We are making fun of those 60K plus who have lost of their lives in this War!
A moment of Shame for the citizens of this country!
Tamam callers zyada tar larkiya or ortay hai,,, Ju kay Internet or cable pay ganda content dhaikh dhailkh kay abhh galee say guzartaa janawar bhi na choray hai… Why would any women will ask a stranger man for marriage… or for kid… which clearly shows… Kay india may 1 sunny leone hai Pakistan is full of this type of shi..s…
8000 spam calls mese 1 banda pakra ha, PTA un 75 numbers ko band krne k bajae Cyber Crime Bill k tehat unhe jail q ni bhejti ? Or agr wo fake name se registrd han to awam k itne pese kharch kr k biometric tasdeeq q karai thi ? Apne andr k rishwat khoron ko nikalen ye sare idare or jailo me bhejen.
Is jesi harkaton k liye Cyber Crime Law thori na bana hy, Cyber Crime law to corruption ko khulay aam batany walon ko thikany lagany k liye banaya gaya hy.
Jeo mere shairo
In KP there are a lot of such people holding fake credentials. Is there a helpline to report fake CNIC and passport ?
I know a friend who called the helpline to tell them that he knows about a terrorist hideout in Karachi, Lahore and especially in Islamabad. He said he has proof and examples where past terrorist operations were conducted from these hideouts, he said that these hideouts are also being used to conduct espionage against critical Pakistan national infrastructure, hacking into key systems etc.
He then gave them all the details of precise locations, however nothing was done, these places are still operating freely. These places are called Embassies and Consulates of United Snakes of America
my friend was then arrested and renditioned to US just like Dr Afia was.
Now tell me you want me to take these terrorist helplines seriously?
Your friend shouldn’t have been extradited to the US, which I assume wouldn’t have happened anyway. Even if he was, I condemn that act, and instead he should’ve been extradited to a mental asylum, alongside you who seems to be endorsing him.
I do not get you, are you doubting that US conducts terrorist activities in Pakistan? Was Raymond Davis selling sweets? Joel Cox, Matthew Barret etc etc wake up and smell the coffee
Very Bad.