ISLAMABAD:
A mega corruption scandal has hit the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), Rawalpindi-Islamabad hard, as two additional directors, along with several other officials, are accused of accepting substantial monthly bribes in return for providing protection and cover to allegedly illegal activities carried out in 15 call centers operated by foreign nationals within a private housing society.
According to official sources, the Anti-Corruption Circle of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in Islamabad has registered a case against a total of 10 officials, including two additional directors, several Chinese nationals, one of whom is married to a Pakistani woman, and several private individuals. A large-scale operation has also been launched to arrest the suspects.
The First Information Report (FIR), filed on behalf of the State under Investigation No 326/2025, reveals that during the course of investigation, 15 call centers run by Chinese nationals and other foreigners were identified within a private housing society in Rawalpindi.
These centers were allegedly engaged in defrauding the public through various online scams. Despite clear evidence of these illegal operations, NCCIA agents allegedly provided protection to the perpetrators in exchange for bribes worth around Rs 15 million per month.
The FIR further alleges that over time, both former and serving officials collectively received approximately PKR 250 million in illicit payments. After the NCCIA was established as an independent body separate from the FIA, the newly appointed officials allegedly continued the corrupt practices and collected an additional PKR 50 million in bribes. The payments were allegedly facilitated through two intermediaries, identified as Hassan Ameer and Tahir Mohiuddin.
Following the arrest of a Chinese national, Guo Kashian alias Kelvin, and 14 other foreign suspects, another Rs 21 million in bribes are alleged to have been accepted through a deal struck with Kelvin’s Pakistani wife. Furthermore, Sub-Inspector Sarim Ali, posted at NCCIA Rawalpindi, has been accused of subjecting the Chinese suspect to physical assault and sending violent videos of the incident to his wife via WhatsApp.
According to the FIR, the bribes were received in three installments and digital evidence, including videos, chat logs and other material, was recovered during the investigation. As a result, the FIA Anti-Corruption Circle, Islamabad, has registered a case under Sections 109, 161, 386 and 420 of the Pakistan Penal Code, along with Section 5(2)47 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947.
Those named in the case include NCCIA additional directors Shehzad Haider and Aamir Nazir; deputy directors Haider Abbas, Nadeem Abbas (acting) and Suleman Awan; as well as current NCCIA Sub-Inspector and former FIA Cyber Crime Cell Sub-Inspector Mian Irfan. Other sub-inspectors, Muhammad Bilal, Sarim Ali, Usman Basharat and Zaheer Abbas, have also been nominated in the case.
The investigation is being led by Deputy Director Muhammad Safeer Ahmad, Inspector Muhammad Waheed Khan and Sub-Inspector Shams Gondal, who have formally commenced their investigations. Authorities confirmed that raids are currently underway to arrest the accused.
