The federal government replaced the director general of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) on Tuesday amid an ongoing corruption scandal concerning its employees and other issues. The federal government established the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) to probe illegal activities on social media. The NCCIA, operating under the Interior Division, has a key role in combating cybercrime in Pakistan. Notifications issued from the Cabinet Secretariat’s Establishment Division said Syed Khurram Ali, a BS-21 officer of the police service, was appointed as the new NCCIA DG with immediate effect, replacing Waqaruddin Syed, who was directed to report to the division immediately. The latter was appointed to the role in April.
Six NCCIA officials remanded to FIA custody: Earlier, a Lahore court handed over six NCCIA officials facing bribery allegations to the FIA on a three-day physical remand in the YouTuber Ducky Bhai case. The probe agency produced the arrested officials before a local court in Lahore on charges of receiving Rs9 million in bribes from the wife of the YouTuber. Judicial magistrate announced the reserved verdict, approving the FIA’s plea seeking physical remand of the officials for interrogation and recovery of the alleged bribe amount. The arrested officers include Additional Director Chaudhry Sarfraz, Zafar, Shoaib Riaz, Ali Raza, Mujtaba Zafar, and Yasir. According to the FIA, a case has been registered against the officials for “misuse of authority” and taking bribes to favour a complainant in an ongoing inquiry. During the hearing, Advocate Ali Ashfaq, who appeared on behalf of NCCIA officials, opposed the request, saying the arrests were made without approval from the DG FIA as required under the law. He maintained that the complaint lacked key details, including the address of the briber. Ashfaq also said that the FIR was registered within 20 minutes of the complaint. He requested the court to dismiss FIA’s plea for physical remand.