ISLAMABAD: Alarmed by a surge in sophisticated cybercrimes and digital fraud, lawmakers in the National Assembly raised urgent concerns on Thursday, demanding robust countermeasures to protect citizens and national security in an increasingly vulnerable digital landscape.
Even the Speaker of the National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, revealed that he had received a fake traffic challan, highlighting the growing spread of digital fraud across the country. Speaking during Question Hour, the Speaker said the fraudsters had cloned his voice and used it to demand money from another individual. He said the person later contacted him to verify the request, to which he clarified that he had never done such a thing.
Ijaz-ul-Haq informed the House that he had received 19 fake traffic challans, including one just the day before. PPP leader Shazia Marri stated that fake traffic challans were circulating in several cities, adding that such fraud was taking place daily. Naeema Kishwar told the House that WhatsApp hacking had become routine, with fraudsters using compromised accounts to demand money from contacts. Shehryar Afridi warned members and the public to avoid opening suspicious links, cautioning that doing so could even lead to false blasphemy allegations. He said several people were currently in jail due to such incidents. The discussion prompted renewed calls for stronger public awareness and enforcement mechanisms. The Speaker of the National Assembly referred the matter to the relevant standing committee of the House.
Responding to lawmakers, the Minister of State for Interior, Talal Chaudhry, said that necessary steps were being taken to reform the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) to tackle cybercrimes effectively. The NCCIA received a total of 150,542 complaints received by the NCCIA, 81,996 pertained to financial crimes. Following scrutiny, 10,756 financial crime inquiries were registered, resulting in the registration of 851 cases. In these cases, 1,095 accused persons were arrested. No convictions could take place. The total amount involved in financial crime cases was Rs. 2,716.386 million, out of which an amount of Rs. 452.376 million has been recovered to date, further investigation is underway.
Responding again to Naeema Kishwar Khan, he clarified that daily-wage and contract workers already employed were regularised after completing legal formalities, and no reappointments were made. He said the NCCIA currently has only 15 stations and limited staff, but by next year, 64 centres will be established. The agency will operate under the e-office system, ensuring complete data transparency and record-keeping. According to the ministry, during the current year, out of a total of 150,542 complaints received by the NCCIA, 81,996 pertained to financial crimes. Responding to Shazia Marri, the minister said the NCCIA currently has 523 staff members. Since the work is highly technical, steps are underway to increase manpower and stations.
Replying to a question by Naeema Kishwar Khan, Talal Chaudhry said complaints of WhatsApp hacking had increased due to certain settings, but after modifications by WhatsApp, such complaints were now declining. To a question by Shehryar Afridi, Talal said there was a mafia behind blasphemy cases, calling it a sensitive issue. He stated that action had been taken, many individuals had been released from jail, and relief provided. Answering questions by Ijaz-ul-Haq and Alia Kamran, he acknowledged that money obtained through fraud is transferred into bank accounts.
In response to Mirza Ikhtiar Baig, the state minister responded that directives have been issued to the cellular companies to introduce facial recognition and other advanced security features to those purchasing sims On a question by Usama Mela, the minister reiterated that the firewall is not meant to restrict freedom of expression but to assist regulators, adding that it has no direct link to cybercrime.
