ISLAMABAD: The sub-committee of the Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting was informed here on Wednesday that a total of 13 FIRs had been registered against journalists, of which 11 were cancelled after initial investigations.
The forum was further told that 689 FIRs had been registered in connection with cybercrimes involving the general public. The Additional Inspector General (IG) of Punjab Police said that around 500 online crime cases are currently under process in the province. The meeting, chaired by Senator Sarmad Ali, was attended by senators Syed Waqar Mehdi and Jan Muhammad, along with representatives from the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Islamabad Police, as well as legal experts.
During the briefing, officials noted that approximately 140 million people in Pakistan are active online, while nearly 20pc of social media accounts are fake and often used for fraud, harassment and blackmail. Responding to a query by Senator Syed Waqar Mehdi regarding the registration of FIRs in cybercrime cases, officials explained that under the amended Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2025, police stations are no longer authorised to register such FIRs. Instead, all complaints are now referred to the NCCIA for investigation. However, if an online offence leads to a physical or conventional crime, two FIRs may be registered—one with the NCCIA for the cyber aspect and another with the relevant provincial police.
On the question of establishing a provincial body similar to the NCCIA in Punjab, the forum was informed that a proposal is under consideration to share the workload. The Additional IG of Sindh Police also said that a similar initiative is being considered in the province. The committee was informed that the PECA Act defines 29 offences. The Punjab representative added that 370 FIRs related to cybercrime had been registered between 2020 and 2025. In cases involving both cyber and conventional elements, the NCCIA and provincial police are coordinating closely to ensure effective investigation.
Participants observed that rapid developments in the digital space have increased the need to strengthen cybercrime enforcement at the provincial level. Provincial representatives stressed that cybercrime cannot be effectively tackled without active support from provincial police and called for coordinated efforts.
The Sindh Police representative said that 55 FIRs related to cybercrime had been registered in the province, including one involving a journalist, and that 33 of these had been transferred to the NCCIA. Similarly, Islamabad Police informed the forum that the last cybercrime FIR was registered on September 14, 2025, and that all such cases are now being referred to the NCCIA. Officials also noted that identifying individuals behind fake accounts is complex and often requires cooperation with international social media platforms.
An NCCIA representative said the agency is working closely with Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police to strengthen enforcement. He noted that offenders often operate through multiple layers of anonymity. He added that social media companies respond to Pakistan’s requests at a rate of 83%, compared to 74.7% for India, and emphasised that solid evidence is required at every stage of investigation.
The committee was informed that the NCCIA received around 154,000 complaints over the past year and has finalised its rules, which have been submitted to the Ministry of Interior for approval.
Concluding the meeting, Senator Sarmad Ali stressed the need to further strengthen the NCCIA for more effective performance. The committee recommended that provincial police and courts transfer all relevant cases to the agency on a priority basis. It also directed detailed reports on transferred and pending cases be presented at the next meeting and asked the NCCIA to provide a breakdown of cases received from the provinces.
