Pakistan plans 838 new positions to strengthen cybercrime agency

According to official sources, the proposal was initiated by the Director General of the NCCIA, who approached the Ministry of Interior with a request to enhance the agency’s human resources in response to the growing number and complexity of cybercrime cases.

The Establishment Division has already agreed with the proposal, clearing an important administrative hurdle. Following this approval, the Ministry of Interior forwarded the case to the Finance Division for final clearance regarding the creation of the new posts. The proposal is currently under review by the Expenditure Wing of the Finance Division, where financial implications are being examined before a final decision is made.

Sources said the recommended recruitment includes a substantial number of officers in technical, legal, investigative and administrative roles to strengthen the agency’s ability to investigate digital crimes, conduct forensic examinations and improve cybersecurity operations.

Among the proposed positions are 32 posts in Grade 18. These include 14 Deputy Directors for Investigation, three Deputy Directors for Legal Affairs, seven Deputy Directors for Accounts, four Deputy Directors for Software, and four Deputy Directors for Network Security.

The proposal also includes the creation of 50 positions in Grade 17. These comprise 31 Assistant Directors for Investigation, seven Assistant Directors for Legal Affairs, nine Assistant Directors serving as Stress Counsellors, and three Assistant Directors for Forensics.

Officials said the remaining proposed positions cover a wide range of technical, support and operational staff required to strengthen the agency’s overall structure and improve its ability to respond to cyber threats more efficiently.

The expansion comes as cybercrime investigations continue to grow in scope, with authorities dealing with increasing cases involving online fraud, financial scams, digital harassment, identity theft, cyber extortion and other technology-related offences. Strengthening the NCCIA through additional manpower is expected to enhance investigative capabilities, improve digital forensic services and support faster handling of cybercrime complaints.

Once approved by the Finance Division, the new positions will be created through the prescribed government procedure, paving the way for future recruitment and further institutional development of Pakistan’s cybercrime investigation framework.