KARACHI: Sindh Education Minister Jam Mehtab Dehar has claimed that Indian mobile phone SIMs were being used in leaking question papers for the ongoing Board of Intermediate Education examinations in the province.

“All departments are on alert. It has been pointed out that the SIMs being operated are Indian SIMs. Because of our relations with the neighbouring country, all agencies have been alerted,” said the provincial minister on Saturday.

Dehar’s statement came as the question paper for the 12th grade physics exam was leaked on social media on Saturday morning, forty minutes before the exam was scheduled to commence at 9.30 am.

“This is very alarming. We have asked the Board to cooperate with FIA and assured that we will also provide all information we have. As per the chief minister’s orders, we have also involved the CTD so that we can see this from multiple angles,” the minister said.

Shortly afterwards, the provincial government launched an extraordinary crackdown against the cheating mafia, as Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah handed over the investigation to the Counter-Terrorism Department of Sindh Police. Additional Inspector General Sanaullah Abbasi told media that a two-member team has been formed, headed by DIG CTD Amir Farooqui, to find out the culprits behind the cheating mafia in the province.—INP