Govt notifies new NCCIA director general

ISLAMABAD:

The federal government has appointed Syed Khurram Ali, a grade-21 officer of the Police Service of Pakistan, as the new director general (DG) of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA).

A notification issued by the Establishment Division on Tuesday confirmed that Syed Khurram Ali, who had been serving under the Punjab government, will now head the Interior Ministry's key cybercrime investigation body.

The appointment was made with the approval of the federal cabinet.

The former NCCIA DG, Waqar-ud-Din Syed, has been directed to report to the Establishment Division following his removal from the post amid reports of alleged irregularities within the agency.

According to a report, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Monday arrested six personnel of the NCCIA on allegations of misusing their authority and taking bribes.

The accused were Additional Director Chaudhry Sarfraz, In-charge Zawar, Sub-Inspector Ali Raza, Assistant Director Shoaib Riaz, Yasir Gujjar and Mujtaba Kamran.

Chaudhry was reportedly removed over different controversies last month and asked to report to the NCCIA headquarters.

The three controversies were about laying hands on a number of YouTubers/social media influencers including Ducky Bhai and Rajab Butt, for their alleged involvement in unregulated online trading and online gambling apps.

The other was the registration of a case against some lawyers who allegedly tried to get a suspect released from the NCCIA.

The third controversy related to a tiff between a group of Lahore's journalists and a serving deputy inspector general of police and some other police officials, as the former moved the NCCIA to act against the latter.

On Friday, the Islamabad High Court granted the police one more week to trace NCCIA Deputy Director Muhammad Usman, who has been missing for several days.

The development came during the hearing of a petition filed by Rozina Usman for the recovery of her husband. She alleged that four armed individuals abducted her husband on October 14.

The court was also informed that the petitioner had herself gone missing after initiating the case. The development had prompted the court to seek an updated report from the police on both disappearances.