Latest news with #NCCIA
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- General
- Express Tribune
Pakistan busts German-led global child abuse ring
Pakistan's National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has unearthed a disturbing international child exploitation network operating from Muzaffargarh, allegedly led by a German national named Renz. The revelation was made by State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry during a joint press conference in Islamabad on Tuesday, alongside NCCIA Director General Dr Syed Waqaruddin Syed. According to officials, the network targeted children between the ages of six and ten, most of whom belonged to extremely poor families. A so-called "children's club" was reportedly set up as a front to attract victims. The facility featured advanced equipment, including high-quality cameras, lighting, and recording tools. Minister Chaudhry revealed that children were initially given money and later blackmailed into exploitation. The videos were filmed in a studio-like environment and sold on the dark web for thousands of dollars per day. The German suspect is said to have travelled to Pakistan for 28 days, during which he trained local operators and established the setup. "This was not just a local case. This was an international operation being run from within Pakistan," the minister said. "We have confirmed that this gang was creating and distributing live content globally." A major raid was conducted by the NCCIA on May 23, with support from local police and intelligence agencies. The operation led to the rescue of at least six children, who were handed over to the Punjab Child Protection Bureau. In total, more than 50 children were identified as victims. So far, authorities have registered 178 First Information Reports (FIRs) related to child exploitation. Fourteen individuals have already been sentenced to seven to ten years in prison. Two suspects linked to this particular case were arrested during the raid, while three remain at large. Efforts are underway to locate and apprehend them. Some parents of the victims were also found to be complicit in the abuse, either knowingly or by accepting money. "It is heartbreaking to say that in some cases, even the parents were part of this horrific business," said the minister. The NCCIA acted on intelligence received from the U.S.-based National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and Interpol. The agency operates a 24/7 monitoring system and collaborates with international organisations to track and prevent online crimes against children. Dr Waqaruddin added that hundreds of videos were recovered from the studio, many of which had already been shared via encrypted platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram, and later sold on the dark web. "This is a major breakthrough. It's the first time such a large, organised international network has been exposed and disrupted in Pakistan," said the DG. "We are working closely with Interpol and German authorities to trace and arrest the foreign suspects." He also highlighted that Pakistan is now among the 71 countries with access to Interpol's global databases, which has significantly accelerated investigation and international cooperation. Minister Chaudhry stressed that recent amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) have increased punishments for child exploitation crimes from seven to ten years, to fourteen to twenty years. The offences are now categorised as non-bailable and non-compoundable. "We are taking this matter very seriously," he said. "The Prime Minister and Interior Minister have been briefed, and we are seeking funds to expand NCCIA offices across the country. We want a strong cybercrime unit in every district of Pakistan." The minister concluded by appealing to the media and civil society to support efforts against online child abuse. "This is not just the government's fight. It is a fight for our children, our future, and our moral responsibility."
Business Recorder
2 days ago
- General
- Business Recorder
NCCIA busts int'l child abuse gang
ISLAMABAD: The National Cyber Crimes Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has busted an international child exploitation gang in Muzaffargarh allegedly led by a German citizen, said State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry on Tuesday. Addressing at a press conference flanked by the Director General (DG) NCCIA Waqar Uddin Syed, the minister said that the gang was involved in the child sexual exploitation aged between 6 to 10 years old. This gang was involved in blackmailing children, especially those hailing from a poor community and uploading explicit videos of minors to the dark web, he said. The minister stated that the gang had set up a state-of-the-art fighting club, targeting young children, from which 10 minors have been rescued so far. Six of these children have already been handed over to the Child Protection Bureau for rehabilitation, he said, adding that the German national was the ringleader of the gang. Chaudhry said that, unfortunately, some parents are also found involved in these inhuman activities. 'In the club, the exploiters have installed modern gadgets and cameras for making videos of children,' he said, adding that NCCIA had conducted five-hour-long operations for busting the gang. He said that NCCIA has arrested two suspects, and three accused are still at large. The DG NCCIA said that the special branch Punjab had informed the agency about a foreign national frequently visiting a village in Muzaffargarh. Upon investigation, it was discovered that children were being filmed in an organised manner, he said, adding that a highly professional setup had been established, complete with modern cameras and lighting systems, to record these videos. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Arab News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Pakistan launches cybercrime helpline seeking swift action on complaints
ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Tuesday launched a cybercrime helpline, 1799, that aims to ensure swift resolution of complaints, Pakistani state media reported. The development came during Naqvi's visit to the headquarters of the National Cyber Crimes Investigation Agency (NCCIA), which was established earlier this year, the APP news agency reported. The minister toured various departments, including the helpline center, forensic lab and network security section, and appreciated the staff for their efforts to combat cybercrime. 'The helpline is now fully operational, and citizens can lodge cybercrime complaints by calling 1799,' the interior minister was quoted as saying. Pakistan transformed the Cybercrime Wing of its Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) into an autonomous organization and named it the NCCIA in April. It followed the introduction of a new law to regulate social media content, with journalist groups and rights activists saying it was aimed at curbing press freedom and dissent on social media. Enacted in 2016 and further tightened with amendments this January, the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) was drafted with the stated aim to combat cybercrimes such as hacking, online harassment, and data breaches. Pakistani officials defended the PECA law, under which offenders can be handed prison sentences of up to three years and fines of Rs2 million ($7,200). Naqvi directed NCCIA officials to ensure quick resolution of all complaints, saying the agency was established to meet the demands of the modern digital era, according to the report. He emphasized the need for the use of advanced technology, software and hardware to fight cybercrime effectively and stressed the need to hire talented staff and equiping them with all necessary resources. The development came as authorities announced busting a child sexual abuse ring, allegedly run by a German national, in Azad Kashmir's capital of Muzaffarabad. 'A state-of-the-art facility was formed with modern cameras and over there, children from poor families were exploited by giving money first and then blackmailing,' State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry said at a presser on Tuesday. 'Their videos were sold on the dark web.' The NCCIA busted the ring in a five-hour operation on May 23 and arrested two suspects, according to the minister. Ten kids were also found at the facility, of which six were sent to the Child Protection Bureau. 'The German man used to facilitate and sell this [content],' Chaudhry said, without disclosing the identity of the suspect. 'We are trying to reach him legally.' Child sexual abuse has been a widespread issue in Pakistan, where perpetrators are often family members, teachers or trusted people. Poverty, lack of education and societal attitudes contribute to the problem. While laws exist, their implementation remains a challenge. Various NGOs are also working to raise awareness about the issue and support survivors.
Express Tribune
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
'FIA officials sacked over misconduct'
Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhary informed the National Assembly on Thursday that 51 officials of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had been dismissed over the past two years for various types of misconduct. Speaking during the question hour, the minister said the FIA has an effective internal accountability system to take disciplinary action against its personnel involved in wrongdoing. He expressed satisfaction with the performance of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Authority (NCCIA), particularly in addressing cybercrime across the country. He told the House that a Director General had been appointed to lead the NCCIA and that about 500 personnel were currently working in the authority. A proposal has also been submitted to hire additional staff to enhance its capacity. Crackdown The Federal Investigation Agency's (FIA) Counter-Terrorism Wing in Islamabad has intensified its crackdown on an international gang involved in issuing fake Pakistani CNICs, machine-readable passports and Saudi Arabia work visas to Afghan nationals and other foreigners. Acting on intelligence reports, the Agency has arrested three more suspects linked to the network, bringing the total number of arrests to five. According to officials, the latest arrestsmade during raids conducted in the last 24 hoursinclude Muhammad Alam Zeb, Asif Khan and Haroon Rashid. Investigations have revealed that Zeb facilitated Saudi work visas for 31 Afghan nationals using Pakistani passports. Asif Khan reportedly arranged similar visas for four Afghan citizens, while Haroon Rashid enabled the issuance of Saudi visas for 58 Afghans. On Tuesday, two other suspectsMuhammad Ishaq Khan and Syed Ahsan Shahwere arrested. Shah is accused of helping 580 Afghan nationals secure Saudi work visas with forged Pakistani documentation, while Ishaq Khan allegedly assisted 22 individuals. Together, the five suspects are believed to have facilitated a total of 693 Afghan nationals in obtaining Saudi work visas using fraudulent Pakistani CNICs and passports. Authorities noted that the involvement of officials from the Immigration and Passport Office and the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) in the scam will be determined during investigation. Further raids are being carried out to apprehend other members of the network.
Express Tribune
17-05-2025
- Express Tribune
Cyber gang defrauding foreigners busted
The intelligence agencies and the National Cybercrime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), Multan, have arrested 14 operatives of a 21-member gang involved in online fraud with people living abroad. According to officials, the gang was involved in defrauding people overseas and extorting money from them. They said a global cybercrime network operating from Pakistan had been busted during the operation. Sources said the united Sates Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Dutch police had identified the 'HeartSender Group' of fraudsters operating from Pakistan in a joint operation, after which dozens of websites had been blocked. The NCCIA had assigned the responsibility of looking into the case to the team in Multan. A team led by Additional Director Abdul Ghaffar has arrested 14 members of the 21-member gang. Of the suspects, six were arrested from Lahore and eight others from Multan. The sources said that the gang leader, Ramiz Shahzad (HeartSender), and his group were involved in fraud of millions of dollars with foreign citizens, including US nationals. The ringleader belongs to the Fatehpur area in Layyah and had a network operating in Lahore as well as Sabzazar Colony in Multan. The authorities carried out raids on four houses of the gang in Lahore and seized a huge quantity of digital material. The arrested suspects include Muhammad Aslam, Adeel Aziz, Osama Nawaz, Abdul Moeez and Shoaib Nazir. The sources said raids were being conducted to arrest one of the prime suspects, Hasnain Raza, who had fled. Mobile phones, laptops and data storage devices were seized from the possession of the arrested members of the gang. A case has been registered against the arrested suspects under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016 and various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). The investigators have found that the gang leader, Ramiz Shahzad, had frequently travelled to Abu Dhabi and details of his travel record have also been obtained. Valuable vehicles and other assets worth millions of rupees of the suspects have also been confiscated and their travel abroad has been banned by placing their names on he Exit Control List (ECL). The arrested suspects were presented in a court, which handed over all of them to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) authorities for seven days on physical remand.
