Islamabad [Pakistan], January 15 : Over the past five years, Pakistan has recorded a cybercrime conviction rate of less than 5 per cent, with only a fraction of mobile and internet users reporting digital offences to the authorities, Dawn reported.
According to the Interior Ministry's written reply to the country's National Assembly, 7,020 individuals were arrested for cybercrimes since 2020, but only 222 were convicted, resulting in a conviction rate of just 3.16 per cent.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA)'s data revealed that 639,564 complaints were filed with its cybercrime wing since 2020, of which 414,260 were verified. This led to 73,825 inquiries and the registration of 5,713 cases in courts. Officials have attributed the low conviction rate to capacity constraints, a lack of public understanding of cybercrime laws, and inconsistencies within investigation agencies.
Despite a yearly increase in the number of cybercrime complaints since 2020, authorities admitted that the figures were far lower than the actual number of offences occurring. The FIA spokesperson highlighted that in 2024, approximately 160,000 complaints were registered, reflecting a decline after consecutive increases over the past three years. However, the decline in 2024 data was limited to the first three quarters.
"The number of complaints should have exceeded 200,000 in 2024," the spokesperson stated, considering Pakistan's over 139 million mobile broadband subscribers and 143 million internet users, as reported by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).
A contributing factor to fewer complaints being filed was the federal government's decision to empower the police to register cybercrime cases, a move implemented through a December 2023 amendment to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) 2016. The amendment aimed to address the increasing prevalence of digital crimes.
In Islamabad, dedicated officers, including women officers, were stationed at police stations to handle cybercrime complaints. Similarly, Punjab has started establishing cybercrime desks across its police stations.
Frequent changes in investigation authorities further hindered the public's ability to lodge complaints. Initially, the FIA's cybercrime wing handled digital offences. In May 2024, the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication established the National Cyber Crimes Investigation Agency (NCCIA) as a specialised body to replace the FIA's wing.
However, before it could become fully operational, the NCCIA was disbanded in December 2024, and investigative powers reverted to the FIA, Dawn reported.
A senior Interior Ministry official acknowledged that these shifts confused the public and led to fewer complaints being reported.
With cybercrime cases on the rise, experts highlight the urgency for a streamlined and effective approach to investigation and prosecution, ensuring that laws and enforcement mechanisms evolve alongside technological advancements.