Around 1,500 WhatsApp accounts hacked in Pakistan since July 1, reveals Mohsin Naqvi

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi informed the Senate that approximately 1,500 WhatsApp accounts have been hacked nationwide since July 1.

In a Senate session, Naqvi revealed that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has managed to recover some accounts, while work continues to reactivate others.

According to details shared with the Senate, the FIA's Cyber Crime Wing (CCW) received 1,426 complaints about hacked accounts since July 1.

Mohsin Naqvi mentioned that these figures exclude users who have yet to file complaints regarding their hacked accounts. He stated that out of the reported cases, 549 accounts have been restored, while the Cyber Crime Wing is working on another 877 cases, with 20 of these sent for formal investigation.

Naqvi added that 40 complaints remain unresolved, and 817 are still under verification. Last year, former Chief Justice Saqib Nisar also claimed his WhatsApp account had been hacked, filing a complaint with the Cyber Crime Wing.

Sources within the FIA reported receiving numerous complaints via their online portal and other platforms but noted a shortage of necessary staff to process these. They also highlighted a lack of advanced equipment to counter cybercrimes.