KARACHI, Oct 29 (APP):The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), Karachi, has arrested two suspects allegedly involved in selling child sexual abuse material and sharing it through online groups, Additional Director Tariq Nawaz said on Thursday.
Addressing a news conference, he said devices used by the suspects had been seized and cases registered against them. He added that the agency was taking action against financial fraud, online harassment and other cybercrimes to protect women and children.
Tariq Nawaz said the agency had arrested 18 suspects over the past year for blackmailing women by using their private pictures and videos. He stressed that those involved in sexual exploitation or causing financial losses to citizens would not be spared.
He said the NCCIA was also investigating a case involving a girl and the dark web. Both local and foreign victims had emerged in the investigations, and information concerning foreign victims had been shared with the relevant authorities. The agency had also nominated its representative for the joint investigation team (JIT), he added.
The NCCIA Additional Director urged citizens to protect their privacy and avoid sharing personal pictures or videos with others. He said complaints could be lodged through the NCCIA’s online cybercrime platform and that the agency was committed to providing relief and protection to citizens.
Speaking about fraudulent call centres, he said there was a clear distinction between legitimate software houses and call centres involved in illegal activities. Fraudsters often posed as representatives of companies, including courier services, to obtain verification codes from citizens and defraud them.
He said the NCCIA was working to protect Pakistan’s legitimate information technology industry and warned young people working at call centres involved in unlawful activities that such practices were illegal. A network previously apprehended by the agency, involving foreign nationals and others, had already been convicted by a court, he added.
Tariq Nawaz said the agency was conducting cybercrime awareness programmes at educational institutions and in collaboration with various universities. He added that an accountability mechanism was in place at the NCCIA and that no official found involved in illegal activities would be given any concession.
Source: APP (Associated Press of Pakistan)
