Pakistan has launched a new artificial intelligence–based system aimed at strengthening efforts to combat online child sexual exploitation, as authorities move to modernise investigations amid rising digital abuse.
The system, named Katalyst, has been developed through a collaboration between the Ministry of Interior, the Narcotics Control Division, and the UK-Pakistan Serious Crime and Law Enforcement Programme, with support from the British High Commission.
Officials unveiled the tool at a high-profile event in Islamabad, saying the AI-driven platform will help law enforcement identify, assess, and investigate online child abuse across multiple digital platforms more efficiently.
Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry, British High Commissioner Jane Marriott, and NCCIA Director General Syed Khurram Ali attended the launch, underlining the importance of international cooperation in addressing cyber-enabled crimes.
“Protecting children in the digital space is a national duty,” Chaudhry said, adding that artificial intelligence would play a critical role in modernising law enforcement and ensuring perpetrators are identified and prosecuted swiftly.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), stressing that laws, policies, and institutions must evolve alongside rapidly changing technologies.
Ayesha Raza Farooq, Chairperson of the National Commission on the Rights of Children (NCRC), called for coordinated action across government bodies, closer engagement with social media platforms, and nationwide awareness campaigns to counter online child exploitation.
NCCIA Director General Syed Khurram Ali said the use of AI would significantly enhance the agency’s capacity, increasing monthly case referrals from around 1,200 to more than 100,000, allowing faster review and improved child protection.
British High Commissioner Jane Marriott described online child abuse as a global challenge, stating that child protection remains a top UK priority domestically and internationally.
“Katalyst shows how artificial intelligence can be used responsibly to protect children,” she said, adding that the UK would continue working closely with Pakistan to combat online crime.
