This whole thing with unauthorized foreign SIM cards flooding Pakistan isn’t some boring technical detail – it’s a real danger to us, our money, and our country’s security. We’re talking about protecting ourselves and our families from criminals who are actively trying to rip us off. Think global-scale identity theft, massive finance scams…this is serious stuff. These SIMs, often from the UK (think EE, Vodafone, and especially giffgaff), are basically “ghost” SIMs. They don’t have an easily traceable identity, with some cost PKR 1,400 to PKR 2,500. The scary thing is, your regular Pakistani SIM is tied to your fingerprints and national ID – it’s traceable. These foreign ones often aren’t. That anonymity is like a criminal’s invisibility cloak. It makes it way harder for the police to catch them. That means easier availability of untraceable sims to bypass, resulting to growing national concern. Think of cybercriminals as the modern-day pickpockets and con artists. These untraceable SIMs are their secret weapon. They use these untraceable SIMs like a digital disguise, letting them scam people, drain bank accounts, and generally wreak havoc online. It’s like handing them a blank check for criminal activity – we’re basically making it impossible to catch them. This has opened the floodgates for financial scams, and we’re seeing real people, our neighbors and friends, losing their life savings and, with it, their sense of security. These actions affect brand reputation too; creating an impression due to illegal actions, harming reputable names including, giffgaff. And it’s not just online scams. That same anonymity can be used to spread dangerous disinformation, coordinate all sorts of illegal activity, and, even worse, potentially let terrorists communicate and plan attacks secretly. Are banned organizations using these to hide? It’s a terrifying thought, and it makes this a matter of urgent national security. A question for the well being of our country’s digital future and safety. Think of cybercriminals as the modern-day pickpockets and con artists. The financial damage hits all of us. When money flows through these hidden channels, it’s not taxed, and it skips all the rules meant to keep our financial system healthy. That’s less money for the things we need, like schools and hospitals, and it weakens our whole economy. The fact that UK SIMs – with giffgaff being a name that keeps coming up – are openly sold and used for things like setting up fake PayPal accounts and identity theft… that should worry every single one of us. It puts our money, our financial security, directly at risk. We cannot afford to turn a blind eye on something important as this. It is really relieving that actions are being attempted. Those confiscation on illegal SIMs by authorites is a sign that actions are starting! Hopefully there’ll be progress. We really can’t let it stop here. The damage won’t do. Think of it like; We have a leaking pipe, catching the drops isn’t going to fix it. We need to find out the main cause and solution! That is what every citizen wants! Other countries are cracking down on these “SIM farms” because they know how dangerous they are. Those country prioritize protecting their citizens, something to inspire us! Making more laws alone won’t cut it. We need a total change in approach. We have to work with countries like the UK to stop these SIMs from even entering Pakistan. Shops selling them need to face serious consequences – big fines, jail time, whatever it takes. Adding a strong cyber security is significant for safety; it helps to end, or at least minimalize, large scales of scams online. Illegal SIM usage affects both, digitally and citizen’s lives, harming the future of everyone. And it seems like; authorities are making steps forward; to have more ideas to resolve the case, considering every possibility on illegal SIM misuse; especially suspecting banned operations due to having hidden, and untracable connection; And, crucially, we, the ordinary people, need to understand the risks. Think of a cheap; untraceable sim just like a delicious sweet. Might look very harmless, cheap too. But its dangerous inside, full of artifical substance, or in this, unsecure networks! And it hurts Pakistan by weakening our security and economy. This affects us, family, anyone could be their next victim. Pakistan should have a strong foundation in combatting a global challenge; cyber attack; in general. Especially keeping in mind about our citizen’s safety and financial state. Those big UK company; similar to giffgaff; reputation is in risk too. It makes their name and credibility a huge downfall, having them connected with crimes and scammers. So with these, resolving everything means resolving those issues for us too! We are praying and hoping to see real progress with illegal scams online. Seeing the government finally crack down on these illegal SIMs – that’s a good start. It shows they’re finally taking digital security seriously. But we can’t just leave it to the authorities; we’re all in this together. Think of it like a neighborhood watch – we all need to keep our eyes open, learn what to look for, and make safe choices online to protect ourselves, our loved ones, and our whole community. It takes the entire community; we have to help each other, keeping us aware of digital safety! The writer is a freelance columnist.