Pakistan’s Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has taken action. They processed 13,185 URLs related to electronic fraud and online scams for blocking, out of which 13,021 have been successfully blocked. According to an official document, the action was taken in coordination with relevant authorities, including the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), SECP, and SBP.
Many blocked links were on popular apps. Facebook and Instagram were among them. This shows these apps are common for scams. The detailed data from PTA shows how different social media platforms responded to fraud reports:
Facebook: Out of 1,357 reported links, 1,246 were blocked.
- 47 are still under review.
- 64 were rejected by Facebook.
Instagram: 41 fraud links were reported.
- 39 were blocked.
- 1 is under review.
- 1 was rejected.
YouTube: From 122 reported links, 99 were blocked.
- 8 are under review.
- 15 were rejected.
X (formerly Twitter): PTA reported 6 links.
- 5 were blocked.
- 1 is still under review.
Other platforms: PTA flagged 11,659 links
- 11,632 were blocked
- 17 were under review
- 10 were rejected
PTA’s efforts have resulted in a 98.76% success rate in blocking scam-related URLs, a significant achievement in tackling digital fraud.
PTA clarified its role. It does not oversee call centers. Software houses are also not regulated by PTA. Cybercrime matters are not the PTA’s job. The NCCIA handles these cases. They act under a specific law. PTA’s main duty is to remove unlawful content.
Fraud investigations are handled by other bodies. The FIA and NCCIA manage these. PTA blocks content based on their advice.
PTA stressed public awareness. This helps prevent future scams. The authority holds events. They create TV programs. PTA uses media to inform people. This education covers online fraud risks.
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