KP Industrialists allege data leak, receive extortion calls

PESHAWAR: The industrialists and business community of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have alleged that the personal details of the industrialists and manufacturers are appeared to have been leaked to criminals after which hey have started receiving threatening calls on WhatsApp and from unregistered numbers.

Addressing a press conference the other day, the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce President Mohammad Ishaq revealed that he had apprised the CCPO about FBR data leak last year last year as well, and the happenings taking place this year.

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He made thrilling claims saying “data leak also happened, now the calls are being made to us saying you have an account in this bank, your wife and children have an account in such and such a bank, you have a plot in such and such a place, this is your car, this is the amount of money in your bank account and the weapons in your house.”

Muhammad Ishaq said that such details were either with NADRA or with the FBR, since such details were filed in tax returns as well. He said that extortionists had started making calls to the business community from foreign numbers.

Referring to the worsening situation at the economic front, the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce President said that electricity worth 7 to 9 billion rupees was being stolen annually across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. “The industrialists have shut down many factories in the province, yet electricity bills are being sent to the closed factories,” hge added.

Mohammad Ishaq said that imported goods worth more than 10 billion dollars were lying at Karachi port only because LCs were not being opened for last four months. If the ban on LCs continues, a large number of factories will be closed, he said.

The Industrialists further said that Pakistan’s business volume with Central Asian countries was decreasing because the Taliban-led Afghan government was charging additional taxes on exports to Central Asia. Annual trade with Central Asia has dropped from $2.5 billion to $800 million, he revealed.