13 more NCCIA officials under radar in multi-million extortion from call centers

ISLAMABAD: Investigations into the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) corruption scandal have revealed shocking details of large-scale extortion allegedly carried out through illegal call centers, ARY News reported citing sources.

Sources said teams have been formed to arrest the accused officers, with further investigations implicating 13 additional NCCIA officials in the case.

According to FIA sources, 15 illegal call centers in Rawalpindi were reportedly giving around Rs15 million per month to a team led by Additional Director Shehzad Haider through a frontman, Hasan Amir. Officers allegedly collected a total of Rs120 million between September 2024 and April 2025.

Sub-Inspector Sarim reportedly set Rs800,000 monthly for a new call center after a raid in Sector F-7, Islamabad, in a deal finalized by SHO Mian Irfan for Rs40 million.

In May 2025, Amir Nazir was appointed in charge of the Rawalpindi office, with Deputy Director Nadeem Khan and Sub-Inspector Sarim Ali also assigned to the team. Deputy Director Salman Alvi reportedly joined the operation as well.

The FIA sources added that NCCIA officers continued to collect Rs15 million monthly as extortion. Sub-Inspector Sarim appointed Munshi Mohi-ud-Din as a frontman.

During a raid on a Rawalpindi call center, 14 foreign nationals were arrested. Sarim allegedly contacted the Pakistani wife of one foreign national through the frontman, who paid Rs8 million for her husband’s release. Additionally, Rs12 million were reportedly collected for the release of 13 other foreign nationals.

Sub-Inspector Sarim allegedly tortured the woman’s husband and recorded a video, while an additional Rs1 million was collected to complete legal formalities.

After the raid, Rs21 million recovered from the call centers was reportedly distributed among the officers. Sarim Ali received Rs1.7 million, Usman Basharat Rs1.4 million, and Zaheer Abbas Rs1 million. Deputy Director Nadeem obtained Rs9.5 million, while Nadeem reportedly kept Rs2.7 million for himself.