The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has arrested a man accused of harassing a British girl through social media applications, following a formal request from UK authorities. "The UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) had requested action regarding this matter," NCCIA Additional Director Tariq Nawaz said during a press briefing.
The suspect, identified as Waqar Ahmed, is a resident of Larkana and was apprehended in Qambar Shahdadkot, Nawaz added. The NCCIA official stated that Ahmed allegedly shared obscene pictures and messages with the British girl through various social media platforms, causing her significant distress.
"Further legal proceedings are currently underway following the formal registration of a case against the suspect under the relevant cybercrime laws," the NCCIA official confirmed. The agency is now coordinating with international counterparts to ensure all digital evidence is preserved for the upcoming trial.
Separately, in an unrelated but equally concerning case, the NCCIA rescued a 13-year-old girl in Karachi from a suspected dark web-linked network. Officials stated that the network had allegedly instructed the minor to poison a cat before ordering her to inflict serious harm upon herself.
The NCCIA intervention followed critical intelligence shared by an international agency, which alerted Pakistani authorities to suspicious online activity. The agency provided specific internet protocol (IP) addresses linked to the dangerous network, allowing local investigators to track the digital trail.
According to NCCIA officials, the young girl had become deeply involved with an online group that assigned her a series of dangerous and life-threatening tasks. These groups often exploit vulnerable individuals by creating a psychological dependency through a process of gradual escalation.
As part of the first task assigned by the group, she was allegedly ordered to poison a cat, which tragically resulted in the animal's death. This was intended to desensitize the victim and test her compliance with the network's malicious directives.
The second task involved explicit instructions to inflict serious physical harm on herself. However, the NCCIA investigators managed to locate the girl's residence and intervene before she could carry out the second, more dangerous instruction.
The agency has urged parents to monitor their children's online activities closely and to report any suspicious behavior or unknown contacts immediately. The NCCIA remains committed to combating cyber threats that target both domestic and international citizens.
Investigations into both cases are ongoing, and the agency is working to dismantle the broader networks that facilitate such criminal activities. Further updates are expected as the legal process continues in the respective courts.