Pakistan’s National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has arrested a Rawalpindi resident and registered a First Information Report (FIR) in a major case of online child exploitation, involving allegations of grooming, blackmail and the circulation of child sexual abuse material.
According to the FIR lodged at the NCCIA Cyber Crime Reporting Centre in Islamabad, investigators say the suspect used multiple fake Instagram accounts to lure minors. Some of the profiles were designed to appear as scholarship or assistance programmes, a tactic authorities believe was used to gain the trust of children before initiating contact.
The agency said the accused targeted at least two minor boys, gradually coercing them into sharing obscene images and videos. The material was then allegedly used to blackmail the victims, with threats of public exposure if they failed to comply with further demands.
The case followed a detailed NCCIA enquiry that uncovered evidence of systematic online grooming. Investigators also allege the suspect attempted to take over the victims’ Instagram and WhatsApp accounts by tricking them into sharing verification codes, a common method used in social media account hijacking.
A forensic analysis of the seized mobile phone revealed hundreds of files containing child sexual abuse material, officials said. The device also showed repeated contact with multiple WhatsApp numbers, raising suspicions of a broader network of activity beyond the reported victims.
Authorities further traced an Easypaisa account allegedly linked to the accused, which they believe may have been used for the exchange or possible sale of exploitative content within Pakistan and abroad.
Investigators said the suspect also targeted another minor through a separate fake Instagram account while posing as a female user, obtaining explicit material and unlawfully accessing the child’s WhatsApp account. Digital records provided by Meta confirmed that the fake profiles were registered on phone numbers connected to the accused and operated from the same device and internet connection.
The NCCIA also found that the suspect was using a modified smartphone with an illegally altered IMEI number, an offence under Pakistan’s electronic forgery laws. Officials said the investigation is ongoing and aims to identify additional victims, facilitators and any wider network linked to the case.
