The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has taken six individuals into custody in separate cyber harassment, blackmail and online threat cases across Lahore, Faisalabad and Multan. The operations were carried out as part of the agency’s ongoing efforts to address cyber enabled offences and protect individuals from online abuse. During the actions, investigators recovered multiple mobile phones and WhatsApp accounts that were allegedly connected to the reported incidents. According to officials, the digital evidence collected from the seized devices has been preserved for forensic examination to support the ongoing investigations. The agency stated that the inquiries are continuing and that the recovered electronic material will undergo detailed analysis to determine its relevance to each case.
In Lahore, NCCIA acted on a complaint submitted by a woman against her former husband, identified as Iftikhar. According to the complaint, he had allegedly been sending threatening messages while using her private pictures and videos to pressure and intimidate her. During the investigation, officials reportedly found messages and objectionable content on his WhatsApp account that were considered relevant to the inquiry. A mobile phone recovered during the operation has also been forwarded for forensic analysis. In Faisalabad, two individuals identified as Asif and Irfan were taken into custody in separate cases involving allegations of online harassment, threats and blackmail through WhatsApp and social media platforms using objectionable digital material. Meanwhile, in Multan, NCCIA took Shoaib, Muhammad Salar and Ahmed Ali into custody in three separate investigations involving allegations of electronic harassment targeting women. Mobile phones linked to each case were recovered, while forensic examination of the digital evidence is continuing as investigators work to establish the complete circumstances surrounding the complaints.
In a separate development, Federal Investigation Agency conducted multiple operations across south Punjab and Gujranwala region, taking 18 individuals into custody in cases related to alleged human trafficking, financial fraud and other offences. FIA Circle Dera Ghazi Khan took Atta Muhammad of Muzaffargarh into custody over allegations that he received Rs800,000 from a complainant with the assurance of arranging an employment visa for Saudi Arabia. Officials also located and detained Nazir Ahmed, who had been declared a proclaimed offender in another similar matter. Earlier, on September 14, FIA Bahawalpur took Muhammad Waqas into custody in connection with three separate complaints involving promises of employment visas for Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. According to investigators, the complainants had paid amounts of Rs341,000, Rs415,000 and Rs272,000 respectively. In another case, Akhtar Ali of Bahawalpur was also taken into custody over allegations involving Rs1 million received from a complainant for an employment visa to Bahrain that was reportedly not arranged.
FIA also carried out an operation at Fayyaz Jewellers on Railway Road in Hasilpur, where Muhammad Fayyaz was taken into custody in connection with an alleged illegal currency exchange activity. During the operation, officials recovered 3,110 Saudi riyals, Rs64,110 in Pakistani currency, a foreign currency account cheque book, receipt books, stamps, miscellaneous receipts and a mobile phone. Separately, FIA Gujranwala Zone reported taking at least 13 individuals into custody in cases involving alleged human trafficking and financial scams connected with promises of overseas employment in countries including Bosnia, Spain, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Turkiye. Officials stated that some of those taken into custody had previously been declared proclaimed offenders. According to the agency, one complaint involved an amount of Rs15.4 million that was allegedly received but not returned, while the overall financial scam under investigation is valued at approximately Rs28.9 million. FIA Gujranwala Zone Director Muhammad Bin Ashraf said operations against networks involved in human trafficking and financial fraud related to overseas employment opportunities have been intensified and will continue across the region.
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