Pakistan weighs provincial cybercrime bodies as cases surge

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 7 May 2026 |  JP Staff Report

Punjab and Sindh are considering provincial cybercrime bodies to ease the investigative burden on the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency, which logged about 154,000 complaints last year amid an estimated 140 million internet users across Pakistan.

Summary

ISLAMABAD — A Senate subcommittee has been informed that Pakistan’s provincial governments are considering establishing dedicated cybercrime bodies as pressure mounts on the national enforcement system amid a sharp rise in online complaints and digital offences.

The briefing was held before the Sub-Committee of the Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting in Islamabad, where officials outlined the growing scale of cybercrime cases and institutional challenges faced under the current framework.

Provinces consider new cybercrime institutions

Officials told lawmakers that proposals are under consideration in Punjab and Sindh to establish provincial-level cybercrime entities aimed at sharing the investigative workload currently handled by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA).

The move comes as provinces report increasing case volumes and coordination challenges in handling cyber-related offences alongside conventional policing responsibilities.

Punjab officials informed the committee that around 500 online crime cases are currently under process, while Sindh Police said dozens of cybercrime FIRs had already been registered, with many transferred to the NCCIA for investigation.

Rising complaints strain the enforcement system

The NCCIA briefed the committee that it had received approximately 154,000 complaints over the past year, reflecting a significant rise in digital crime reporting across the country.

Officials also noted that Pakistan now has around 140 million active internet users, creating a rapidly expanding digital space where cyber offences are becoming more frequent and complex.

Lawmakers were informed that nearly 20 percent of social media accounts may be fake and are often linked to fraud, harassment, and blackmail activities, further complicating enforcement efforts.

Coordination and capacity concerns highlighted

Provincial police representatives emphasized that cybercrime enforcement cannot be effectively managed without stronger coordination between federal and provincial agencies.

Officials noted that identifying suspects remains difficult due to the use of multiple layers of anonymity and cross-border digital platforms, requiring increased cooperation with international technology companies.

Islamabad Police informed the committee that cybercrime FIRs are now routinely forwarded to the NCCIA under revised procedures introduced through the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2025 framework.

The NCCIA also told lawmakers that it is working to finalize its operational rules after submitting them to the Ministry of Interior for approval.

In concluding remarks, the committee stressed the need to strengthen institutional capacity and directed that detailed reports on transferred and pending cases be submitted for review in the next meeting.

ATTRIBUTION: Reporting by JournalismPakistan, based on information posted by the Senate of Pakistan on its Facebook page on May 6, 2026.

PHOTO: AI-generated; for illustrative purposes only