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Pakistan recorded a sharp spike in digital offences this year as the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) received 142,272 cybercrime complaints in 2025. The surge shows how rapidly online fraud, harassment, financial scams and digital intrusion attempts continue to escalate nationwide, according to official data the agency shared with the federal government.
Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi said authorities converted 26,036 complaints into formal inquiries and registered 1,955 cases for investigation. The judicial system then moved slowly, securing only 31 convictions while acquitting 122 individuals, a result that highlights the immense pressure on Pakistan’s still-developing cybercrime infrastructure.
Officials say Pakistan’s expanding digital footprint and rising public awareness around reporting mechanisms drove the surge. At the same time, the numbers expose deep vulnerabilities in the system. Rural communities still report cybercrime at disproportionately low levels due to limited awareness, social stigma and weak understanding of cyber laws.
The NCCIA directly pointed to structural challenges that continue to hinder effective response. The agency struggles with outdated investigative tools, staffing shortages, limited digital forensics resources and major jurisdictional hurdles when pursuing offenders operating across borders. These constraints continue to blunt Pakistan’s ability to counter increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.
The government has launched one of the largest cybercrime capacity-building drives in the country’s history to counter these risks. The NCCIA confirmed it is expanding its operational network from 15 to 64 centers nationwide, a step that significantly boosts outreach and reduces response time. The agency has already submitted the required approvals to the Ministry of Interior.
To fix the shortage of skilled investigators, the NCCIA also forwarded a comprehensive PC 1 for human resource enhancement to the Ministry. The plan seeks to strengthen Pakistan’s long-term digital security by deploying trained personnel, forensic specialists and technical experts across all regions.
Five-year NCCIA data show the scale of the challenge. From 2021 to 2025, the agency processed 98,206 inquiries and disposed of 53,717, but still carries a pendency of 51,696. During the same period, it registered 7,690 FIRs, disposed of 3,505 and continues to handle 4,185 pending cases. The rising caseload demonstrates how Pakistan’s cybercrime ecosystem is expanding faster than the capacity built to contain it.
