ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has registered a First Information Report (FIR) against officials from the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) for allegedly facilitating and extorting illegal Chinese-run call centers operating in Bahria Town, Islamabad.
The scandal came to light following an internal inquiry (No. 326/2025) that exposed the involvement of several senior NCCIA officials and private individuals in a widespread extortion network. According to the FIR, at least 15 illegal call centers, including MAKJ International Pvt. Ltd. and C Dragon Casino, were operating under the protection of NCCIA officers. These call centers, managed by Chinese nationals, were involved in online fraud schemes, targeting the public while employing Pakistani staff with high salaries.
The inquiry revealed that the first extortion network was allegedly led by Additional Director Shahzad Haider, Deputy Director Haider Abbas, and Sub-Inspector Muhammad Bilal, along with their private frontman, Hassan Ameer. The group is accused of extorting approximately Rs. 120 million between September 2024 and April 2025. Each call center reportedly paid a “protection fee” of Rs. 1 million per month.
The distribution of the extorted funds was allegedly as follows: Shahzad Haider (Additional Director) received Rs. 550,000 per call center, Haider Abbas (Deputy Director) received Rs. 200,000, Muhammad Bilal (Sub-Inspector) took Rs. 200,000, and Hassan Ameer (Frontman) received Rs. 50,000. Sub-Inspector Bilal is further accused of demanding an additional Rs. 800,000 from each newly established call center as a “cooperation fee.”
In one notable incident, Bilal and another NCCIA officer, Sub-Inspector Mian Irfan, allegedly extorted Rs. 40 million from a Chinese national named Leo during a raid in Islamabad’s Sector F-11.
After the transfer of officials in May 2025, a new group within the NCCIA allegedly continued the same extortion practices. This group, which included Additional Director Amir Nazir, Acting Deputy Director Nadeem Ahmad Khan, Deputy Director Salman Awan, and Sub-Inspector Sarim Ali, reportedly continued the extortion under the guidance of frontman Tahir Mohi-ud-Din.
The inquiry also revealed that Sub-Inspector Sarim Ali’s team had arrested 14 Chinese nationals, including Guo Kaixuan (alias Kelvin), identified as the key intermediary between the call centers and NCCIA officials. After Kelvin’s arrest, Sarim Ali, through his frontman, demanded Rs. 20 million from Kelvin’s wife, Ms. Areeba Rubab, for his release. She allegedly paid the amount in three installments: Rs. 12 million, Rs. 8 million, and Rs. 1 million.
In an attempt to force Ms. Rubab to pay the bribe, Sarim Ali allegedly sent her disturbing videos of her husband being tortured, using WhatsApp’s “one-time view” feature.
The distribution of the Rs. 21 million extorted from Ms. Rubab was reportedly: Sarim Ali (Sub-Inspector) – Rs. 1.7 million; Usman Basharat (Sub-Inspector) – Rs. 14 million; Zaheer Abbas Niazi (Sub-Inspector) – Rs. 1 million; and Nadeem Ahmad Khan (Assistant Director) – Rs. 9.5 million, including Rs. 7 million allegedly passed on to Additional Director Amir Nazir.
In another raid on July 16, 2025, NCCIA officials arrested seven more Chinese nationals from MAKJ International Pvt. Ltd. in Bahria Town. Following the raid, Sub-Inspector Sarim Ali allegedly received Rs. 15 million in bribes, keeping Rs. 12 million for himself and giving Rs. 3 million to his frontman.
The total amount extorted by the first group of NCCIA officers is estimated at Rs. 250 million, while the new group is believed to have extracted an additional Rs. 50 million. A criminal case has been filed against 13 individuals, including high-ranking NCCIA officers and private accomplices, under various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947.
The accused include Shahzad Haider (Additional Director), Haider Abbas (Deputy Director), Muhammad Bilal (Sub-Inspector), Hassan Ameer (Private Individual/Frontman), Amir Nazir (Additional Director), Nadeem Ahmad Khan (Assistant Director), Salman Awan (Deputy Director), Sarim Ali (Sub-Inspector), Usman Basharat (Sub-Inspector), Zaheer Abbas Niazi (Sub-Inspector), Tahir Mohi-ud-Din (Private Individual/Frontman), Mian Irfan (Sub-Inspector/SHO), and Guo Kaixuan alias Kelvin (Chinese National).
A special investigation team has been set up, consisting of AD Muhammad Safeer Ahmed, Inspector Muhammad Waheed Khan, and Sub-Inspector Shamas Gondal (SHO ACC Islamabad), to further probe the case. Investigators say that additional individuals, if found involved, will also be identified as the investigation progresses.
