Parliament Raises Red Flag on Cybercrime Surge as Over 150,000 Complaints Reported in 2025

ISLAMABAD:  Members of the National Assembly on Friday turned the spotlight on Pakistan’s growing cybercrime problem, with lawmakers from across parties warning that online scams are now affecting everyday citizens and urgent action is needed. According to The Express Tribune, the session heard that more than 150,000 cybercrime complaints were filed across the country in 2025, a number that has lawmakers worried.

The session, chaired by Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, highlighted various online threats, including fake traffic challans, bogus parcel delivery scams, WhatsApp hacks, and impersonation fraud. Dawn reported that criminals have even used fake names and institutions, causing people to get involved in serious legal trouble, including blasphemy and anti-state cases.

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) MNA Naeema Kishwar told the House that WhatsApp account takeovers and money-demand scams have become “common,” with fraudsters using fake delivery messages to trick users. PTI’s Sheheryar Afridi added that children, especially in rural areas, are being lured into clicking dangerous links on WhatsApp, Instagram and Snapchat, leading to more risks and sometimes even jail for simply replying.

Even Speaker Sadiq shared a personal incident: his voice was cloned and used to ask people for money, prompting an investigation. Tribune reported that lawmakers said some groups are highly organised and use disposable technology to avoid being caught.

Interior Minister of State Talal Chaudhry briefed the assembly, saying that of the 150,542 complaints received by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) last year, 81,996 were related to financial fraud and 2,974 were WhatsApp hack cases. So far, 1,095 suspects have been arrested and Rs2.716 billion in losses were linked to cybercrime cases, with about Rs452 million recovered.

Officials said steps are being taken to strengthen NCCIA, improve digital awareness, and promote public reporting through helpline 1799 and an online portal, but lawmakers pushed for faster action and stronger enforcement to stop the rising scams.

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