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The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication was informed on Friday that the personal data of over 350,000 Hajj applicants has been leaked on the Dark Web, exposing serious flaws in Pakistan’s digital security framework.
Chairing the meeting, Senator Palwasha Khan pressed officials on why the long-awaited Data Protection Bill has still not been enacted despite cabinet approval. She called the delay “ministerial negligence” and criticized IT Minister Shaza Fatima for not attending the committee session.
During the briefing, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman Hafeez-ur-Rehman confirmed that sensitive details of Hajj applicants had surfaced on the Dark Web. He stressed the urgency of passing legislation to protect citizens’ privacy and safeguard national databases from further breaches.
Senator Afnanullah warned of the dangerous consequences of repeated data leaks, citing examples from Iran where stolen information was later used during conflict. Senator Kamran Murtaza added that Pakistan had once gained access to Indian data during wartime, underlining the critical role of information security in national defense.
Lawmakers also questioned the capacity of the newly formed National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) to handle breaches of this scale. While the PTA assured that investigations are underway to trace the source of the leak, senators argued that without strong data protection laws, such incidents will continue.
The revelation that the personal records of 350,000 Hajj applicants are available on the Dark Web has intensified pressure on the government to accelerate cybersecurity legislation. Lawmakers warned that repeated breaches not only hurt citizens but also threaten Pakistan’s digital sovereignty.
