Pakistan has observed a surge in WhatsApp hacks, with nearly 1,500 accounts compromised since July 1, as Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi disclosed on October 29th. In a statement to the Senate, Naqvi detailed that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has so far received 1,426 formal complaints regarding these breaches, marking a sharp rise in cybercrime activity in the country.

According to Naqvi, the FIA’s Cybercrime Wing (CCW) has recovered 549 of the hacked accounts. However, 877 complaints are still under investigation, with 20 particularly serious cases now escalated for formal inquiries. Additionally, 817 cases are still being verified, while 40 others remain unresolved, awaiting further action from the FIA.

Although WhatsApp is equipped with end-to-end encryption, hackers have been able to exploit device vulnerabilities through unsecured connections, gaining unauthorized access to private chats. Government officials have also been targeted in these attacks, with hackers posing as senior bureaucrats to extract confidential information using malware.

Similar cyberattacks targeting high-profile individuals were reported globally in 2019, including in Pakistan.