The Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights raised concerns over the efficiency of the National Cybercrime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) in handling cybercrime complaints and the technical issues affecting its online complaint portal. During a meeting chaired by Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri, the committee discussed delays in complaint redressal and the handling of blasphemy-related cases.

Senator Quratulain Marri reported being targeted in a prolonged online campaign against her and her family, stating that no effective action was taken despite a formal complaint. NCCIA officials acknowledged technical and operational issues impacting the online complaint system but assured that written complaints could be processed immediately through legal representatives while the portal was being fixed. They also informed that actions to block or restrict objectionable online content were typically resolved within 15 days.

Expressing dissatisfaction with the agency’s response, Senator Zehri criticised the delays, while Senator Rana Mahmood ul Hassan shared similar frustrations regarding false accusations made against him on social media, highlighting a lack of meaningful action from the NCCIA.

The committee summoned NCCIA Director General, Syed Khurram Ali, to its July 17 meeting to provide a detailed briefing regarding the status of the online complaint portal, complaint processing delays, enforcement timelines, response protocols, and the measures being implemented to enhance agency performance.

The committee also reviewed the progress in the murder case of Lahore resident Ahmed Javed. Additionally, a briefing was received from the Punjab Home Secretary on blasphemy cases, revealing that a special committee had been established to review such cases and that an inter-agency coordination mechanism was in place to strengthen prosecution and streamline legal proceedings.