The federal government has formed a multi-agency task force to take action against illegal call centers involved in online fraud across Pakistan.

In a written reply submitted to the Senate of Pakistan, Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi said the task force has been created to improve coordination and enforcement against unlawful digital and telecom activities.

According to the reply, the task force includes representatives from the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), and Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB). It has been tasked with developing a mechanism for real-time information sharing among relevant institutions.

The minister told the Senate that the main objectives of the task force are to improve compliance with existing regulatory frameworks, strengthen enforcement against illegal digital and telecom operations, and raise awareness among stakeholders about regulatory requirements and best practices.

Providing details of enforcement actions, Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi said authorities have identified 54 illegal call centers and software houses across the country. These operations involved 268 Pakistani nationals and 269 foreign nationals. Of them, 213 Pakistanis and 269 foreigners have been arrested. A total of 63 FIRs have also been registered in these cases.

The written reply added that Rs. 62.27 million has been recovered from illegal call centers so far. It stated that total recoveries from January 1, 2025 to date have reached Rs. 1,405.471605 million, reflecting continued action by law enforcement agencies, including the FIA, against online fraud networks.

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has confirmed that all bids in Pakistan’s 5G spectrum auction must follow fixed pricing increments, with non-compliant bids automatically rejected or corrected by the auction system.

In its responses to consultation queries, the PTA said all bid prices must be submitted in multiples of USD 1,000. The Electronic Auction System (EAS) will block bids that do not meet this requirement.

If a bid is entered in a non-compliant amount, the system will round it to the nearest valid figure.

The authority clarified that in later auction rounds, bidders will be allowed to submit increase or decrease bids at any price between the opening price and the clock price, as long as the amount is rounded to the nearest USD 1,000. However, maintain bids can only be placed at the current clock price.

PTA also stated that the auction software will suggest corrected values if bidders attempt to enter prices outside the permitted increments. This mechanism is intended to ensure uniformity and transparency throughout the bid submission and processing stages.