NCCIA Arrests Suspect In Islamabad Blackmail And Extortion Case

ISLAMABAD: The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) Islamabad Circle has arrested a man accused of blackmailing a female by sharing her video with family members and threatening to circulate it further on social media.

According to the agency’s official statement, the suspect allegedly extorted PKR 110,000, transferred to a bank account linked to him. Officers recovered four mobile phones during the operation. An FIR was registered under Sections 14 (electronic fraud) and 24 (cyber stalking) of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016. Further investigation is underway.

A separate case was registered the same day by NCCIA Abbottabad. Officers arrested a man accused of harassing, threatening and blackmailing a female former school colleague through WhatsApp. The agency states he allegedly stole private data from her laptop and used it in the alleged harassment. The FIR cites Sections 20 and 24 of PECA 2016, read with Sections 506 and 109 of the Pakistan Penal Code. The arrest followed an enquiry and examination of digital evidence.

These actions form part of a wider operational push directed by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and NCCIA Director General Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi. The agency has described a zero-tolerance approach toward illegal call centres and child sexual abuse material. Rizvi, a former Islamabad Inspector General appointed DG in September 2026, has held multiple meetings this week with zonal officers, including Additional Director Law Sarfraz Ahmed Khattana, Additional Director Rawalpindi Nisar Ahmed Khan, Deputy Director Abbottabad Wahab Ahmed, Director Operations Irfanullah Khan and Additional Director Islamabad Muhammad Shoaib Khan. Briefings covered pending cases, investigative bottlenecks, evidence standards and the need for stronger prosecution and timely relief for victims.

NCCIA was established on 3 May 2024 under Section 51 of PECA 2016 to replace the Federal Investigation Agency’s Cyber Crime Wing and centralise investigations. It operates under the Ministry of Interior. Early operations focused on fraud and harassment; more recent activity has included large-scale raids on alleged illegal call centres, though courts have discharged many detainees for insufficient evidence in some prior cases.

Digital-rights observers have previously criticised PECA’s broad speech-related provisions and noted low historical conviction rates relative to complaint volumes, along with concerns over capacity and selective application. Senate committees have also questioned complaint-handling delays. The agency maintains that its focus remains on financial fraud, blackmail and child exploitation offences. Victims of online blackmail or harassment can report via the NCCIA helpline 1799 or the online portal at complaint.nccia.gov.pk. In-person verification at a Cybercrime Reporting Centre is required under existing rules.