NCCIA says women’s online harassment cases being prioritised, 10 held in Punjab

LAHORE: The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has said it is giving top priority to complaints involving the online harassment, exploitation and blackmail of women, and announced the arrest of 10 suspects in operations across Punjab on Saturday.

NCCIA Punjab chief Muhammad Ali Waseem said the agency was placing the highest urgency on cases linked to the harassment of women in digital spaces while continuing to pursue other cybercrime complaints as well. He said such cases were receiving dedicated attention because of the psychological, social and reputational damage they can cause to victims.

In comments on the agency’s approach, Waseem said: "The NCCIA is according the highest priority to complaints involving the harassment, exploitation, and blackmailing of women in the digital space,"

"While the NCCIA remains committed to addressing all forms of cybercrime and is making every effort to facilitate complainants, cases related to the online harassment, intimidation, and blackmailing of women are being treated on a priority basis," he added.

According to Waseem, the agency is moving quickly on such matters to provide timely relief and bring those responsible to justice. A large number of these complaints are still pending with the cybercrime agency.

Arrests in Lahore, Multan and Faisalabad

The NCCIA said the 10 suspects were taken into custody in separate operations in Lahore, Multan and Faisalabad over allegations of online harassment, blackmail and the use of objectionable material to pressure women. Mobile phones, digital evidence and other devices were seized and placed in custody for forensic examination.

In Lahore, the agency said two suspects were arrested in two separate complaints relating to the alleged online harassment of women. In Multan, three suspects were arrested in one case, while two others were detained in separate cases involving alleged harassment through online platforms.

In Faisalabad, one suspect was arrested on allegations that he blackmailed his former wife by sending videos and photographs to her relatives. Another suspect was detained in a separate case involving the online harassment of a woman.

The agency also said another suspect in Faisalabad was arrested for allegedly using artificial intelligence to generate fake and objectionable images of a girl and then demanding Rs2 million from her while threatening to share the images on social media.

Further legal action expected after forensic review

The NCCIA said the digital material recovered during the operations indicated the involvement of the arrested suspects in online harassment and blackmail targeting women. The inquiry was continuing and that more legal steps would be taken after forensic analysis reports were completed.

Last week, the agency arrested five suspects in Punjab in cases related to the online harassment of women. Separately, an official said the swift action taken on actor Momina Iqbal’s complaint against ruling party MPA Saqib Chadhar reflected the agency’s zero-tolerance policy on the harassment and victimisation of women in cyberspace. The NCCIA has registered a case against Chadhar under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, and he is currently on bail.