'Life turned upside down': Social media activist shattered after Saad Rafique's cybercrime complaint

LAHORE: A social media activist from Sialkot broke down in a viral video after receiving a notice from the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) following a complaint filed by Khawaja سعد Rafique.

According to details shared online, the NCCIA summoned Sheikh Saira to appear at its office in Islamabad over allegations linked to online character assassination. Saira claimed she received the notice through WhatsApp and said she still does not know which specific post or tweet triggered the complaint.

Visibly emotional in the video, she repeatedly insisted that she had always respected Rafique and even praised him publicly in the past.

“I have so much respect for Saad Rafique. I have always said he is one of the decent people in PML-N,” she said while crying.

Saira maintained that she only posts “good and decent tweets” and could not understand why legal action had been initiated against her.

The activist also spoke about the difficulties of travelling alone to Islamabad, saying she has no parents or husband and that her elder brother is unwell at home.

“How should I go? With whom should I go? It is very far,” she said emotionally, adding that the notice had caused panic and embarrassment within her family.

She further expressed fear that people around her might assume she had committed a serious crime simply because she had been summoned by a cybercrime authority.

“My family has a reputation. People who are not educated may misunderstand this,” she said. Saira directly appealed to Rafique in the video, requesting him to intervene and ask authorities not to “harass” her.

The viral clip has triggered mixed reactions online. While some users criticised the use of cybercrime notices against ordinary social media users, others argued that false allegations and smear campaigns on digital platforms have become increasingly common and should carry consequences.

The notice comes days after Rafique publicly stated that he would pursue action against individuals allegedly involved in spreading false accusations and defamatory content against him online.