NCCIA Ends Deportation for Illegal Call Centres
Illegal call centres in Pakistan face a new enforcement approach, after the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) decided to stop deporting foreign nationals arrested in raids and instead prosecute them under Pakistani law.
Under the new policy, arrested foreigners will first face trial in Pakistani courts. Those convicted will serve their sentences in local prisons before being sent back to their home countries, NCCIA officials said.
The change replaces a practice in which foreign nationals arrested at illegal call centres were deported as “undesirables” without serving prison sentences in Pakistan. Sources said Chinese citizens accounted for the largest number of deportees, while nationals of Indonesia and Vietnam were also among those involved in operating illegal call centres in the country.
Illegal call centres: what changed in the October raids
The policy shift follows raids last month in which NCCIA teams searched seven illegal call centres and arrested more than 600 people. In that operation, the agency prepared challans against the suspects and sent them to jail instead of deporting them, according to sources.
A challan is the formal charge sheet presented to a court. By filing challans, the NCCIA moves a case into the court system, where guilt, sentence and deportation after sentence can each be decided through legal process rather than through administrative removal alone.
The practical effect is longer accountability for suspects who are convicted. A person who once faced swift deportation could now face trial, a prison term in Pakistan, and only then removal to their home country.
Why the NCCIA changed course
No single stated reason for the change was quoted in the material reviewed, beyond the agency’s decision itself. The pattern of the October raids points to a clear aim: to try cases in Pakistan where the alleged offences took place, rather than exporting the case with the suspect.
That approach also creates a public record. Court proceedings test evidence, allow a defence, and produce a verdict, while deportation alone leaves no conviction on record in Pakistan.
For victims of call-centre fraud, a prosecution in Pakistan may also matter for investigations. A trial can establish how a centre operated and who ran it, in ways that a rapid deportation cannot.
A separate court matter: FIA and NCCIA staff regularisation
Separately, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has sought a comprehensive report on the regularisation of employees of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the NCCIA.
Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir issued a written order while hearing a petition filed by Tauqir Jadoon. The court directed the relevant authorities to complete the process for granting permanent status to employees, conduct the required interviews, and submit their results.
The Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) had submitted a clause-wise response and report on the petition. During proceedings, the Additional Attorney General informed the court that FPSC approval was a mandatory legal requirement, and that scrutiny of applicants and interviews were under way, with the directors general of the FIA and NCCIA jointly conducting the interviews.
The court adjourned the hearing until December 8 and directed the relevant directors to submit a comprehensive report detailing the interview results.
What to watch next
Two dates and one test will show how the new policy works in practice. The first test is the October cases themselves: whether challans lead to convictions, acquittals or long trials. The second is December 8, when the IHC expects the FIA and NCCIA staffing report.
A third question concerns capacity. Prosecuting hundreds of suspects requires investigators, prosecutors, courts and prison places, and the agency’s ability to carry cases through will shape whether the policy holds.
Frequently asked questions
What is the NCCIA’s new policy on illegal call centres?
Illegal call centres suspects who are foreign nationals will now face trial in Pakistani courts instead of being deported without trial. Those convicted will serve sentences in local prisons before being returned home.
How were foreign call-centre suspects treated before?
Previously, foreign nationals arrested at illegal call centres were deported as “undesirables” without serving prison sentences in Pakistan, according to sources cited in the report.
How many people were arrested in last month’s raids?
NCCIA teams raided seven illegal call centres last month and arrested more than 600 people, preparing challans against the suspects and sending them to jail.
Which nationalities were most involved, according to sources?
Sources said Chinese citizens accounted for the largest number of deportees, while nationals of Indonesia and Vietnam were also involved in operating illegal call centres.
What happens in the FIA and NCCIA staffing case next?
The Islamabad High Court adjourned the regularisation hearing until December 8 and directed the relevant directors to submit a comprehensive report on interview results.
