NCCIA registers cases against five ‘anti-state actors’

ISLAMABAD: The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has launched a momentous crackdown on individuals allegedly orchestrating a malicious online campaign against the state institutions.

Cases have been registered against five individuals, identified as Adil Raja, Moeed Pirzada, Muhammad Umar, Muhammad Nazir Butt (based in Pakistan), and Ahmad Noorani.

Furthermore, legal proceedings have been initiated under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) against several social media accounts for circulating indecent and provocative posts directed at the Pakistan Army and chief of army staff.

These accounts include Fawad Khattak, Nauman Khan, Sardar Azam Khan (PTI), Roman Shah, Social Media PK55, Shehbaz Garhi News, PTI Pakistan, and Anwar Shah Khan.

According to the NCCIA, these accounts were actively spreading statements and content deemed to pose a significant risk of inciting public unrest, eroding public trust in national institutions, and potentially compromising national security, particularly amidst ongoing tensions with India.

The NCCIA said substantial evidence had been gathered against these accounts, and a detailed information had been obtained about the individuals operating them, including their names and residential addresses.

A spokesperson for the NCCIA emphasized that screenshots and digital evidence from all suspicious accounts had been securely obtained by the relevant authorities, and legal procedures were currently underway.

In an official statement, the NCCIA highlighted that the accused individuals allegedly shared false and provocative content during the period of heightened tensions between Pakistan and India, consistently promoting inaccurate and deceptive material online. The agency vowed to take a strict action against anyone found spreading unrest or targeting state institutions.