NCCIA cracks down on online blackmail, arrests 2 suspects in Punjab

The operations were carried out on the special instructions of Punjab Director Operations Muhammad Ali

LAHORE: The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has arrested two suspects in separate operations targeting cyber blackmail and online harassment, as part of an intensified campaign against digital crimes targeting women and the public.

The operations were carried out on the special instructions of Punjab Director Operations Muhammad Ali Waseem.

In the first case, registered as FIR No. 122/2026, authorities arrested Haroon Qureshi for allegedly attempting to ruin a woman’s married life by sending her private photographs to her husband. Investigators recovered a mobile phone from the suspect during the operation, with digital evidence playing a key role in the arrest.

In another major operation, the NCCIA’s Faisalabad team raided the Sherwan Kalan area of Abbottabad and arrested the prime suspect, Muhammad Anwar, in connection with FIR No. 91/2026.

According to investigators, the suspect allegedly posed as a woman on social media to lure victims into online relationships before blackmailing them with compromising material. Officials said he extorted Rs40,000 from one victim through Easypaisa and later shared the victim’s private content on WhatsApp after further payment was refused.

The NCCIA reaffirmed its commitment to taking strict action against cybercriminals involved in online harassment, blackmail, and digital exploitation.