NCCIA chief orders action against illegal call centres, online scams

Islamabad:Newly appointed Director General of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi ordered a sweeping nationwide crackdown on illegal call centers, online financial scams, cyber harassment and anti-state propaganda

The directive came during a high-level policy meeting convened by the NCCIA chief in Islamabad, attended by directors, additional directors, deputy directors, and assistant directors stationed across the country

Outline his administrative priorities, Rizvi issued strict instructions aimed at ramping up the agency’s operational efficiency, enforcing internal integrity, and broadening public access to law enforcement

Addressing senior officials, Rizvi warned that negative propaganda targeting the state or any state institution would not be tolerated, declaring that individuals engaging in illegal online campaigns against state organs will face swift and severe legal action

He also placed a strong emphasis on protecting women online, ordering immediate and uncompromising measures against individuals using abusive language or harassing women on social media platforms

In an effort to dismantle organized digital fraud, the DG instructed field officers to launch immediate raids against illegal call centers, online gambling applications, and ATM card skimming operations. He cautioned that field officials who fail to act promptly or effectively against illegal operations within their jurisdictions will face severe disciplinary consequences

To ensure strict operational standards, Rizvi declared a policy of zero tolerance toward internal dishonesty and corruption, emphasizing that institutional accountability must begin within the agency itself

Under the new guidelines, the performance of every officer will be evaluated every 24 hours, with continuous monitoring of official caseloads serving as the primary metric for performance appraisals. Officers were further instructed to clear all pending cases without delay

To enhance public reporting and response times, the NCCIA is integrating its services with the nationwide emergency helpline 15, allowing cybercrime complaints to be transferred directly to specialized investigators

Dedicated universal helpline numbers will also be rolled out shortly to streamline public access. Additionally, Rizvi ordered an immediate increase in round-the-clock digital patrols to monitor social media platforms and the broader web for criminal activity

Source: www.thenews.pk