Pakistan’s cybercrime enforcement agency is struggling to keep up with a rising number of complaints as it faces an acute shortage of technical staff. The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has formally asked the Ministry of Interior to create over 800 new posts after a growing piles of cases exposed serious gaps in manpower and expertise.
According to official sources, nearly 140,000 cybercrime complaints are currently pending with the agency. The delay is largely being caused due to lack of trained investigators and technical experts, which has placed major pressure on the existing workforce.
The NCCIA, which operates under the Ministry of Interior, has requested approval to create new positions ranging from Grade 1 to Grade 18. However, the proposal still requires clearance from the Ministry of Finance before any recruitment process can start.
Sources say that earlier efforts to strengthen the agency were limited. Under Phase One and Phase Two, only 162 posts were created, which proved insufficient against the rapidly increasing volume of cybercrime cases across the country. Meanwhile, staff hired under Phase Two are working on contracts that will expire in June 2026.
The situation has further worsened after contracts of employees recruited under Phase Three ended in February this year. The Ministry of Interior decided not to extend these contracts following allegations of corruption, a move that further reduced the agency’s operational capacity.
Affected employees have challenged the decision and approached the Supreme Court of Pakistan, seeking relief against the non-extension of their contracts. The case has added another layer of uncertainty to the already strained system.
