The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s (PTA) annual Cybersecurity Awareness Week ended Wednesday, focusing heavily on public education and prevention amid a glaring lack of effective remedies for cybercrime victims.
Held every December with partners, the December 11-17 event—”Building a Secure and Resilient Cyberspace”—prioritized reporting tips over solutions, reflecting government emphasis on curbing politically sensitive content.
A PTA Facebook post advised: “See harmful, fake, or abusive online material? Report it first on the platform. If unresolved, use PTA Portal’s Web Content Complaint.” It ended: “Together, let’s make digital spaces safer.”
No Fresh Fixes Offered
The campaign covered AI safety, deepfakes, phishing, misinformation, social media reporting, fake news, and digital footprints via posts and ringtone alerts urging vigilance against sharing data or suspicious links. PTA called for “responsible digital citizenship.”
Telecom firms joined in. PTA’s cyber chief, Brig (r) Dr. Mukarram Ali Khan, spoke at Jazz HQ on proactive awareness, strong frameworks, and collaboration against rising threats like deepfakes in a digitized era. He lauded telecom as Pakistan’s safest sector.
NCCIA in Crisis
Meanwhile, the National Cybercrime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) received ~200,000 complaints this year under the 2025 Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, covering 22 offenses. Resolution drags, frustrating victims of hacking, fraud, harassment, and trolling targeting celebs, journalists, and politicians—though political cases dominate.
IT Standing Committee Chair Syed Aminul Haque questioned NCCIA efficacy to Dawn: “Everyone knows honey-trapping, toxic content, and hacks plague the public.”
A senior NCCIA official admitted: “Awareness isn’t enough—citizens need real protection, like police for street crimes.”
NCCIA limps with 500/534 staff on expired contracts since July (unpaid), ill-equipped for ordinary folks. Peshawar covers 18 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa districts, forcing Jhelum residents to travel to Faisalabad.
A Jhang victim shunned reporting hacking/fraud due to exhausting follow-ups.
