The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has sacked four alleged members of an international network accused of involvement in child sexual abuse material trafficking following an investigation launched in Islamabad. Speaking during a press conference, NCCIA Additional Director Muhammad Shoaib Khan said the investigation began after officials recovered approximately 50 to 60 objectionable videos involving children from a mobile phone belonging to a child. The evidence led investigators to identify and detain four suspects who are believed to have been connected to the wider network. The operation forms part of NCCIA’s ongoing efforts to address online child exploitation and other cyber enabled crimes through digital investigations and coordinated enforcement actions.
According to Muhammad Shoaib Khan, investigators believe the suspects used Instagram and other social media platforms to establish contact with children between the ages of six and fourteen. The children were allegedly approached with promises of financial rewards before being persuaded to create explicit videos, which investigators say were later distributed through WhatsApp groups and made available to buyers in different countries. Khan noted that the investigation uncovered activities extending beyond Pakistan, indicating links to an international network involved in the circulation of child sexual abuse material. He also recalled that NCCIA had previously secured convictions against two Chinese nationals in separate child sexual abuse material cases, highlighting the agency’s continued focus on tackling online exploitation involving both local and foreign suspects.
The Islamabad operation comes as NCCIA expands its nationwide response against online child exploitation, cyber harassment, digital fraud and technology enabled criminal activity. On October 10, the agency entered into agreements with international artificial intelligence organizations to strengthen its capabilities for detecting and investigating offences involving children. NCCIA Lahore Additional Director Atif Ameer stated that AI assisted analysis recently helped investigators identify a suspect in Gujranwala, resulting in further enforcement action. Earlier, on October 7, NCCIA also carried out an operation in Lahore in which 39 individuals, including one woman, were sacked over allegations linked to an illegal call centre. Investigators alleged the group used AI generated explicit images to pressure borrowers who had obtained digital loans, while forensic teams seized 40 laptops and 41 mobile phones for examination as part of the investigation.
Officials also shared details of several other recent operations carried out across the country. Muhammad Shoaib Khan said NCCIA had detained 473 foreign nationals during coordinated raids on multiple call centres that were allegedly involved in financial fraud targeting victims in Malaysia, China and India by impersonating banking representatives. During the past week, the agency also sacked 22 suspects in cyber harassment cases, with female NCCIA officers assigned to conduct investigations into complaints involving women. In a separate development, a judicial magistrate in Karachi East remanded a suspect to NCCIA custody for three days in connection with an alleged online blackmail case involving a woman. Through these coordinated investigations, NCCIA continues to expand its efforts against online exploitation, cyber enabled financial fraud and digital crimes while strengthening investigative capabilities through international cooperation and advanced technologies.
Follow the SPIN IDG WhatsApp Channel for updates across the Smart Pakistan Insights Network covering all of Pakistan’s technology ecosystem.
