The federal government has decided to bring call centres under legal oversight as a formal licensing system would now require approval from three federal institutions.
Sources divulged on Tuesday, licences for operating call centres will be issued only after clearance from the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and a sensitive security institution. These bodies will jointly oversee the process to ensure regulatory compliance in response to a surge in digital financial fraud across the country,
The NCCIA has also resolved to expand the scope of its ongoing crackdown on illegal call centres—known as Operation Grey—to the provincial level. Unregistered and suspicious call centres operating in the provinces are expected to face immediate action.
Officials familiar with the matter said the move aims to dismantle networks involved in fraudulent activities run under the guise of call centre operations. The measure is also part of broader efforts to modernise the country’s cybercrime response infrastructure.
Under the new framework, obtaining a licence will be mandatory for all call centres. The coordinated role of federal oversight bodies is intended to improve monitoring and curb the misuse of digital platforms for financial scams.
