Senate Panel Told 11 of 13 FIRs Against Journalists Were Dismissed After Initial Inquiry
Senate Subcommittee Reviews Cybercrime Enforcement, Calls for Stronger Coordination Between NCCIA and Provincial Police
ISLAMABAD, May 6 (APP): A meeting of the Subcommittee of the Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting was held here on Wednesday under the chairmanship of Senator Sarmad Ali. Senators Syed Waqar Mehdi and Jan Muhammad attended the meeting along with representatives of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), Punjab Police, Sindh Police, Balochistan Police, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police, Islamabad Police and legal experts.
According to a press release issued by the Senate Secretariat, the committee was informed that a total of 13 FIRs had been registered against journalists, of which 11 were dismissed after initial investigations. The committee was further told that 689 cybercrime cases involving ordinary citizens had also been registered.
The Additional Inspector General of Punjab Police informed the committee that nearly 500 online crime cases were currently under investigation in Punjab. Responding to a question raised by Senator Syed Waqar Mehdi regarding the procedure for registration of FIRs in cybercrime cases, the committee was briefed that under the PECA Act 2025, no police station has the authority to directly register FIRs related to cybercrimes. All such complaints are now referred to the NCCIA for investigation.
However, in cases where online activity 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 department for the conventional offence.
Replying to a question regarding the establishment of a provincial institution on the pattern of NCCIA in Punjab, the committee was informed that a proposal was under consideration to create such an institution in order to distribute the growing workload. Similarly, the Additional Inspector General of Sindh Police informed the committee that Sindh was also considering the establishment of a similar institution. The committee was further informed that 29 offences had been defined under the PECA Act.
The Punjab representative told the meeting that 370 FIRs related to cybercrime had been registered between 2020 and 2025. The committee was informed that in cases involving both cyber and conventional crimes, the NCCIA and provincial police were maintaining close coordination to ensure effective investigations.
The briefing highlighted that rapid developments in digital and cyberspace activities had increased the need to expand cybercrime enforcement mechanisms at the provincial level. During the meeting, the committee was informed that around 140 million people in Pakistan were active in cyberspace, while nearly 20 percent of social media accounts were fake and frequently used for fraud, harassment and blackmailing.
Provincial representatives stressed that cybercrime could not be effectively controlled without active support and coordination from provincial police departments.
The Sindh Police representative informed the committee that 55 FIRs related to cybercrime had been registered in the province, including one involving a journalist, while 33 of those cases had been transferred to the NCCIA. Islamabad Police informed the committee that the last cybercrime FIR in the federal capital had been registered on September 14, 2025, and that all such cases were now being referred to the NCCIA.
The meeting also discussed the complexity involved in identifying individuals operating fake social media accounts, noting that such investigations often require international cooperation with social media platforms.
A representative of the NCCIA informed the committee that the agency was maintaining close coordination with Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police to strengthen cybercrime enforcement. He said criminal elements often conceal their identities through multiple layers. Appreciating the government’s provision of advanced software, he stressed the need for stronger cooperation with international platform providers.
The committee was informed that social media platforms respond positively to 83 percent of Pakistan’s requests compared to 74.7 percent of requests made by India. The NCCIA representative said solid evidence was required at every stage of legal action. The committee was further informed that the agency had received around 154,000 complaints during the past year.
The agency has finalized its rules and regulations and forwarded them to the Ministry of Interior for approval, while work is underway to finalize them on a priority basis.
On the occasion, Senator Sarmad Ali emphasized the need to further strengthen the NCCIA to improve its performance and effectiveness. The subcommittee recommended that provincial police and courts transfer all relevant cases to the NCCIA on a priority basis. The committee also directed that a detailed report on transferred and pending cases be presented at the next meeting. The NCCIA was likewise instructed to provide details of cases received from the provinces.
Translated into English APP URDU Release
