FIA issues strong clarification on closure of YouTube channels

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has issued a strong clarification regarding media reports falsely attributing recent judicial orders to the FIA concerning the closure of YouTube channels.

According to the official statement, the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has now been formally established and is fully operational. All investigations and legal proceedings related to cybercrime now fall exclusively under the jurisdiction of the NCCIA, not the FIA.

“The news circulating in the media, claiming that a judicial magistrate has ordered the FIA to shut down 27 Pakistani YouTube channels, is completely baseless and inaccurate,” the FIA spokesperson stated.

The clarification emphasizes that the court orders in question were issued on the request of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), and FIA has not been mentioned anywhere in the judicial directives.

“It is essential to understand that FIA and NCCIA are two separate and independent institutions. Cybercrime investigations and related legal matters are no longer under the mandate of the FIA,” the spokesperson added.

The FIA urged the public and media personnel to refrain from spreading unverified news and to confirm any information with the relevant official institutions before broadcasting or publishing.