Senate panel summons NCCIA chief over cybercrime delays

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 9 July 2026 |  JP Staff Report

The Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights summoned the NCCIA Director General to explain delays, technical faults in its complaint portal and slow responses to online harassment, and ordered a personal briefing with corrective timelines on July 17.

Summary

ISLAMABAD — A Senate committee has summoned the Director General of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) to explain delays in cybercrime complaint handling after lawmakers raised concerns over alleged institutional inaction, technical failures in the agency's online complaint portal, and slow responses to online harassment cases.

Meeting under the chairpersonship of Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri, the Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights expressed dissatisfaction with the agency's handling of complaints and directed the NCCIA chief to personally brief members at its next meeting on July 17 on complaint processing, enforcement timelines, institutional response protocols, and corrective measures being taken to improve the agency's performance.

Senators cite delays in online harassment cases

During the meeting, Senator Qurat ul Ain Marri informed the committee that a sustained online campaign had targeted her and her family and that no effective action had followed despite a complaint submitted through legal counsel. Senator Rana Mahmood ul Hassan also told the committee that fabricated allegations had been circulated against him on social media and that no meaningful action had been taken despite approaching the concerned agency.

NCCIA officials acknowledged that technical and operational constraints had affected the agency's online complaint system. They told the committee that written complaints submitted through legal representatives could be processed immediately while work continued to resolve problems with the online portal. Officials also stated that requests to block or restrict objectionable online content are generally completed within 15 days.

Committee seeks accountability

Chairperson Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri expressed dissatisfaction with the delays, saying that no complainant, whether a parliamentarian or an ordinary citizen, should be left without assistance because of technical excuses or institutional inaction. She stressed that citizens' dignity, privacy, and safety must be protected through a prompt and effective complaint redressal system.

In response to the concerns raised, the committee decided to summon the NCCIA Director General to its next meeting on July 17. The official has been directed to personally brief lawmakers on the status of the online complaint portal, reasons for delays, enforcement timelines, institutional response procedures, and the corrective measures being implemented to improve the agency's performance.

Committee reviews murder investigation and blasphemy procedures

The committee also reviewed progress in the murder case of Lahore resident Ahmed Javed after hearing from the victim's father, who said justice had yet to be delivered despite the passage of several months. Members expressed concern over the delay and emphasized that families of victims should be treated with dignity and kept informed about developments in serious criminal investigations.

The Home Secretary of Punjab also briefed the committee on procedures relating to blasphemy-related cases. Members were informed that the provincial government had established a special committee to examine such cases and that two meetings had already been held. The Home Secretary said an inter-agency coordination mechanism had been created to strengthen prosecution, improve coordination, and streamline legal proceedings.

Officials further informed the committee that online blasphemy-related content is monitored through a dedicated monitoring center, which forwards actionable reports to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority for legal and regulatory action. During Muharram alone, approximately 3,000 complaints concerning online blasphemy content were referred to the PTA, according to the briefing.

Senator Aimal Wali Khan emphasized that the rights and protection of minorities must be safeguarded and called for proper redress of grievances raised by the Christian community, particularly in relation to the Faisalabad matter. Chairperson Zehri also sought a detailed briefing on the revised mechanism for registering FIRs in blasphemy-related cases, saying the committee wanted to ensure due process, fair investigation, protection of innocent persons, and safeguards against misuse of the law.

The committee additionally agreed to seek a briefing from the relevant ministry on the growing incidence of HIV cases in Sindh, particularly among children. Concluding the meeting, members reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening institutional accountability, protecting citizens from online harassment and disinformation, ensuring timely justice in serious criminal cases, safeguarding due process in blasphemy-related matters, and protecting the rights of minorities and vulnerable communities.

WHY THIS MATTERS: The committee's scrutiny of the NCCIA reflects growing concern over the effectiveness of Pakistan's cybercrime complaint system at a time when journalists, politicians, and ordinary citizens increasingly face online abuse and disinformation. For media professionals, the proceedings underscore the importance of timely complaint handling and effective legal mechanisms for addressing digital harassment and protecting freedom of expression.

ATTRIBUTION: Reporting by JournalismPakistan, based on the official press release issued by the Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights on July 9, 2026.

PHOTO: AI-generated; for illustrative purposes only.