New NCCIA chief Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi takes charge, orders cybercrime crackdown

ISLAMABAD: Newly appointed Director General of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi, has assumed charge and held an introductory and operational meeting with senior officers at the agency’s headquarters in Islamabad.

The meeting was attended by directors, additional directors, deputy directors and assistant directors from NCCIA offices across the country. Among the senior officers present were Director Operations North Irfan Ullah Khan (PSP) and Additional Directors Ehsan Chohan and Nisar Ahmed Khan.

According to officials familiar with the meeting, Mr Rizvi held detailed discussions on the agency’s overall performance, operational challenges and measures to improve the handling of cybercrime complaints and investigations.

The meeting reviewed the performance of Cybercrime Reporting Centres (CCRCs) in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Faisalabad, Multan, Quetta, Sukkur, Gujranwala, Hyderabad, Abbottabad, D.I. Khan, Gwadar and Gilgit.

Officials also briefed the DG on the complaint management system and the pendency of cases, with particular attention to financial fraud, online harassment, blackmail and sextortion. Financial fraud accounts for around 47 per cent of reported complaints, according to the briefing.

The meeting also discussed the proposed upgradation of digital forensic laboratories, cyber patrolling and threat-intelligence mechanisms. Participants reviewed measures for expediting high-profile cases and improving the conviction rate under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2016, as amended in 2025.

Mr Rizvi was also briefed on coordination with the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), National Accountability Bureau (NAB), provincial police, Interpol and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) under the 12-agency National Cyber Taskforce.

Manpower requirements were another key area of discussion. The meeting reviewed the deputation of 40 Islamabad Police personnel, posting of 53 officers as SHOs at CCRCs, and requisitions for 27 officers from the FIA Counter Terrorism Wing and another 115 personnel from Islamabad Police.

The DG directed all directors to adopt a citizen-centric approach, ensuring that no complainant was turned away and that every complaint was acknowledged within 24 hours through helpline 1799.

He also called for zero tolerance for corruption, unnecessary delays and misbehaviour with complainants, particularly women and other vulnerable groups.

Mr Rizvi directed officers to ensure professional and forensic-based investigations in line with international standards, with emphasis on accuracy, fairness, due process and protection of citizens’ privacy. He further ordered weekly performance reviews of every CCRC.

“From physical policing to digital policing — the threat has shifted. We have to make NCCIA a strong, independent and technologically capable agency on international standards,” he told officers.

According to the Establishment Division, Mr Rizvi, a Grade-20 Pakistan Police Service officer, assumed charge as DG NCCIA under Notification No. 12(10)/2004-E-3 (Police), dated September 12, 2026. He has been appointed for a non-extendable three-year term.

He has previously served as DIG Operations Lahore and Inspector General of Islamabad Police.

The meeting concluded with a commitment to strengthen the agency’s response to cybercrime and contribute towards making Pakistan’s digital space safer and more secure.