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Jazz and NADRA Technologies Limited (NTL) have recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore collaboration on digital services, identity verification, and customer facilitation. While the agreement outlines ambitious plans for service integration, data privacy concerns emerge.
Pakistan is already grappling with a major data leak crisis, with the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) recently informing the Senate Standing Committee on IT and Telecom that massive amounts of citizens’ data are being sold on the Dark Web. Against this backdrop, questions are being raised over new collaborations involving sensitive databases.
Official sources told TechJuice that Jazz and NADRA Technologies Limited (NTL) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to integrate digital services and identity verification. The proposed arrangement includes linking Jazz apps with NADRA’s Pak ID system, enabling SIM and wallet issuance at NADRA centers, and incorporating biometric verification through NADRA’s IRIS technology. However, no final agreement has been reached thus far.
Additionally, the two organizations will explore Single Sign-On (SSO) for JazzCash and other digital platforms using Pak ID credentials, as well as potential B2B cooperation in cloud hosting, disaster recovery, and cybersecurity. A joint steering committee has been proposed to oversee progress, with both sides committing to strict compliance with data protection laws and secure handling of identity data.
Jazz’s Data Security Track Record Raises Fresh Concerns
Adding to the unease, Jazz itself has been flagged for poor handling of customer data in the past, raising doubts about whether the company can securely manage an arrangement involving NADRA’s systems. Experts caution that without strong safeguards, such partnerships could intensify risks rather than solve existing challenges.
With NADRA holding the sensitive biometric and personal data of millions of Pakistanis, experts fear that closer commercial collaboration with a private telecom operator could create new vulnerabilities in an already fragile cybersecurity environment.
They warn that without robust legal safeguards and independent oversight, the integration of NADRA’s national identity systems with commercial platforms could further expose citizens’ personal information to cyberattacks and illicit trade on the Dark Web.
