Open invitation to criminals

Arguably, organised criminal networks operate unhindered in Pakistan not because its citizens have a relentless lawbreaking itch to scratch, but because the system accommodates such networks and makes it easy for them to operate. When law enforcement, documentation and regulation are lax, and red tape is selectively reserved for important procedures, a country automatically - and perhaps willingly - becomes a hub for illegal activities.

Seemingly for this exact reason, 114 foreign nationals from Far East countries were allegedly running a cyber-romance and sextortion network from Islamabad, luring in foreign nationals into conversations that they later exploited. They were recently caught by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) and an investigation linked them to financial fraud in relation to such cybercrimes.

While a case has already been registered against them under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) 2016, there are now much more urgent questions that the system needs to ponder over. What is it about Pakistan that appealed to these criminals, who chose to conduct their operations from the very capital of the country?

Since the victims of this cybercrime gang were not primarily Pakistanis, their choice of 'headquarters' is quite intriguing. And more than intriguing, it is distressing. These criminals were brazenly recording explicit video calls with their so-called clientele to use as blackmail. This is not an overnight trap; it is an extensive plan that even used the name of a registered IT business.

The only clear next step involves a thorough case that leaves no wiggle room for loopholes which would allow the criminals to go unpunished. The NCCIA has announced that further investigation is underway, which must remain untouched by external influence or partiality. A logical conclusion to this case is necessary to prove that Pakistan is not a hub for criminal activity and it is certainly not open for such businesses.