LAHORE – The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has increased its focus on cases involving blackmail, harassment, and the violation of women’s dignity and reputation in the digital realm, resulting in the arrest of ten offenders across Punjab on Saturday.
“The NCCIA places the highest priority on complaints concerning the exploitation and blackmailing of women online,” said Muhammad Ali Waseem, chief of NCCIA Punjab, in an interview with Dawn.
He added that, while the agency remains committed to tackling all forms of cybercrime, cases of female-targeted online harassment, intimidation, and blackmail are being dealt with as a top priority.
Waseem highlighted the serious psychological, social, and reputational harm these offenses can cause, stressing the importance of swift action and dedicated attention to provide timely relief and ensure perpetrators are brought to justice.
It is important to note that a large number of such complaints are still pending with the cybercrime agency.
The arrests were made during separate operations in Lahore, Multan, and Faisalabad, where suspects allegedly harassed women online, blackmailed them, and used objectionable content to exert pressure on victims.
Mobile phones, digital evidence, and other relevant devices were seized from the suspects and forwarded for forensic examination.
The NCCIA reported that two suspects were arrested in Lahore in two separate complaints involving alleged online harassment of women.
In Multan, three suspects were taken into custody, while two others were arrested in separate cases on charges of harassing women through online platforms.
During the Faisalabad operation, a suspect was arrested for allegedly blackmailing his ex‑wife by sending videos and photographs to her relatives, and another was detained for online harassment of a woman.
A separate arrest in Faisalabad involved a suspect who used artificial intelligence to create fake and objectionable images of a girl, then extorted Rs 2 million from her after threatening to circulate the images on social media.
The digital evidence recovered confirmed the involvement of the arrested suspects in online harassment and blackmail targeting women.
“Further investigations are underway, and additional legal action will be taken in light of the forensic analysis reports,” the NCCIA said.
Last week, the NCCIA arrested five suspects for online harassment of women in Punjab.
Additionally, the agency swiftly acted on actor Momina Iqbal’s complaint of online harassment against ruling party MPA Saqib Chadhar, underscoring its zero‑tolerance policy toward the abuse and victimisation of women in cyberspace.
The NCCIA has registered a case against Chadhar, who is currently on bail, under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act.