Around 200 foreign nationals have been arrested in a major NCCIA call centre raid in Islamabad’s I-9 industrial area, one of the largest single operations of the agency’s ongoing nationwide crackdown on cybercrime.
The operation targeted a call centre working out of the area’s factory zone. Acting on information obtained from those detained, NCCIA teams then carried out dozens of raids at different locations across the federal capital, according to reports.
Scale of the NCCIA call centre raid
The arrests form part of a wider enforcement drive. The agency recently reported arresting 1,129 suspects and recovering Rs105.3 million, which was returned to victims of cyber fraud.
According to the NCCIA’s latest monthly performance report, the agency received 5,176 complaints, launched 4,491 inquiries and registered 272 cases in the first month since Director General Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi assumed charge.
| NCCIA monthly performance | Figure |
|---|---|
| Complaints received | 5,176 |
| Inquiries launched | 4,491 |
| Cases registered | 272 |
| Suspects arrested (recent drive) | 1,129 |
| Amount recovered and returned | Rs105.3 million |
Rizvi has reaffirmed the agency’s zero-tolerance policy against cybercrime, stressing that protecting citizens from online threats remains its top priority.
A pattern of call centre fraud cases
The Islamabad raid follows a string of NCCIA actions against fraudulent call centres, many of them accused of targeting victims abroad. Earlier this month, the agency arrested two suspects in Lahore accused of running a call centre scam aimed at Americans.
In a separate high-profile case, the NCCIA arrested Faheem Akram, the prime suspect in an alleged Rs35 billion fraud involving the sale of counterfeit US postage stamps to American customers through a website operated from Pakistan.
Such operations typically use call centres or websites to impersonate officials, run tech-support scams or sell fake goods, funnelling proceeds through networks of bank accounts. Investigators in the postage-stamp case said they analysed 122 call data records, 50 IMEI tracking reports and footage from 120 cameras before making the arrest.
Why it matters
The detention of around 200 foreign nationals in a single raid points to the organised, cross-border character of the scam networks operating from Pakistani cities. The I-9 industrial area, a factory zone in the capital, has now joined Lahore’s Gulberg among the locations where such setups have been uncovered.
For victims, the Rs105.3 million recovered and returned shows the crackdown is producing tangible restitution, not just arrests. For Pakistan’s international standing, dismantling fraud networks that target foreign citizens eases pressure from partner countries whose nationals are among the victims.
What happens next
With dozens of follow-up raids already conducted on the basis of information from the detained suspects, investigators are expected to map the wider network behind the I-9 operation, including its handlers, money trails and any links to earlier busted call centres. Further arrests are likely as the leads are pursued.
Frequently asked questions
What happened in the NCCIA Islamabad raid?
The NCCIA raided a call centre in Islamabad’s I-9 industrial area and arrested around 200 foreign nationals, then carried out dozens of follow-up raids across the capital based on information from the detainees.
How big is the NCCIA’s cybercrime crackdown?
In its latest monthly report, the agency logged 5,176 complaints, 4,491 inquiries and 272 cases. A recent enforcement drive led to 1,129 arrests and Rs105.3 million recovered and returned to victims.
Who leads the NCCIA?
Director General Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi, who has pledged a zero-tolerance policy against cybercrime since taking charge.
What are call centre scams?
Fraudulent operations, often run from rented offices, that cold-call or message victims, commonly abroad, to extract money through impersonation, fake tech support or counterfeit goods.
