The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecom, chaired by Senator Palwasha Khan, held a meeting in which several major issues were discussed, including illegal call centers, the performance of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), and concerns over citizens’ data security.
FIA officials informed the committee that 13 suspects have been named in FIRs related to illegal call centers. According to the officials, these individuals extorted money from various call centers.
Senator Rasheed added that Pakistan faces global criticism due to the presence of illegal call centers.
They revealed that millions of rupees have been recovered from a sub-inspector. The officials added that internal accountability is ongoing and that 271 FIA personnel have been punished internally this year over corruption and misconduct.
Senator Pervez Rasheed questioned the FIA’s overall performance, saying it has become a matter of concern. He stated that the institution has lost its credibility. The committee chairperson also expressed similar concerns.
Senator Saadia Abbasi asked whether call centers are illegal in Pakistan.
Officials from the Ministry of IT clarified that the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) maintains lists of registered call centers. They stressed that it is wrong to assume all call centers are illegal, adding that thousands of call centers are legally registered in Pakistan.