The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) in Pakistan has dismantled an international child sexual abuse material network, according to Dawn. NCCIA Additional Director Mohammad Shoaib Khan disclosed during an Islamabad press conference that a father was discovered producing and selling explicit material involving his own children, aged four to five. The videos were distributed through encrypted Telegram channels using cryptocurrency. Officials also addressed additional operations, including dismantling a grooming group operating on social media and assisting a harassment victim in Karachi.
What happened
According to Dawn, the agency apprehended the network's ringleader in Skardu with assistance from international authorities. Investigators recovered evidence across Islamabad, Multan, and South Punjab, with active searches underway for additional facilitators. Khan noted that this was the first documented case in the country of a parent engaging in such actions against their minor children. In a separate operation, four gang members were arrested following the discovery of 60 videos on a minor's phone. That network targeted children aged six to 14 via Instagram and distributed illicit material internationally using WhatsApp.
Key facts
- The main perpetrator in the Telegram network used cryptocurrency transactions and included depictions of animal abuse in the content, Dawn reported.
- Two Chinese citizens were previously convicted in relation to the Instagram and WhatsApp child exploitation ring.
- Following a suicide attempt by a minor in Karachi, NCCIA traced and detained a suspect in Islamabad within 13 hours after two to three years of reported blackmail and harassment.
- NCCIA Director General Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi directed a zero-tolerance policy targeting social media harassment, state propaganda, and fake news, emphasizing the use of helpline 1799 for public complaints.
Why it matters
Data cited by Dawn highlights the prevalence of digital exploitation in the country. A Unicef report estimated that 1.5 million Pakistani children suffered online sexual abuse in a single year, with 85 percent of offenders known to the victims and no surveyed children submitting formal complaints. Furthermore, data from the NGO Sahil logged 1,914 child abuse cases in the first half of 2026, finding that 58 percent of victims were girls and children aged 11 to 15 were the most vulnerable group.
Source: Dawn - Home · Published October 25, 2026 · Photo by Duygu Güngör on Unsplash