Cybercrime & PECA Matters

Legal advice and representation concerning cybercrime complaints, online harassment, digital fraud, unauthorized access, electronic evidence and PECA-related proceedings.

FA Legal Point provides fact-specific legal advice and representation to complainants, victims, accused persons, individuals and businesses in matters involving information systems, electronic communications, social media platforms, digital transactions and online conduct.

Cybercrime matters in Pakistan are principally governed by the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016, as amended from time to time. The legal character of each complaint depends upon the alleged act, intention, electronic record, resulting harm and the particular statutory provision attracted by the facts.

• Preliminary cybercrime assessment: Examination of the complaint, electronic communications, devices, accounts and available records to determine whether the alleged conduct constitutes an offence under PECA, another criminal law, a civil wrong or a combination of different legal causes of action.
• NCCIA complaints and proceedings: Preparation and submission of written cybercrime complaints before the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency, together with supporting documents, screenshots, transaction records, account details and other relevant electronic material.
• Unauthorized access: Advice and representation in matters involving alleged hacking, unlawful access to email accounts, social-media profiles, mobile devices, databases, computer systems, cloud accounts or other protected information systems.
• Unauthorized copying or transmission of data: Matters involving the copying, downloading, forwarding, disclosure or transmission of data without lawful authority and with the intention required under the applicable provision.
• Interference with systems or data: Complaints involving deletion, alteration, suppression, corruption, obstruction, disruption or damage to an information system, application, website, server, electronic account or stored data.
• Electronic fraud and forgery: Advice concerning fraudulent online transactions, falsified electronic documents, manipulated digital records, deceptive payment requests, forged electronic communications and dishonest use of information systems.
• Identity theft and misuse of identity information: Matters involving unauthorized use of a person’s name, photograph, identity card information, telephone number, banking details, passwords, biometric data, account credentials or other identifying information.
• Online impersonation and spoofing: Complaints involving fake profiles, counterfeit websites, deceptive email addresses, impersonation accounts, phishing communications and electronic sources falsely presented as authentic.
• Cyberstalking and online harassment: Advice and representation in matters involving repeated unwanted contact, monitoring, intimidation, threats, coercion, persistent messaging, misuse of photographs or videos and other technology-assisted harassment.
• Offences affecting dignity and privacy: Complaints involving the intentional online transmission of information alleged to be false and harmful to a natural person’s reputation or privacy, subject to the ingredients and limitations of the relevant statutory provision.
• Sexualized content, blackmail and intimate imagery: Legal assistance in matters involving manipulated images, non-consensual intimate material, sexually explicit threats, online blackmail, revenge-based publication or coercion through electronic communications.
• Offences involving minors: Advice and representation in cybercrime matters affecting children, including online exploitation, grooming, harassment, unlawful sexualized material, identity disclosure and applications for removal or blocking of harmful content.
• False or fake information: Assessment of complaints concerning information alleged to have been intentionally disseminated despite knowledge or reason to believe that it was false or fake and likely to cause fear, panic, disorder or unrest within the statutory meaning of PECA.
• Removal or blocking of online content: Advice concerning complaints to social-media platforms and applications before the legally competent authority for removal, restriction, preservation or blocking of unlawful or offensive electronic content, where such relief is available.
• Digital financial fraud: Matters involving fraudulent online purchases, banking transactions, mobile-wallet misuse, investment scams, deceptive payment links, account takeovers and other technology-assisted financial loss.
• Preservation of electronic evidence: Guidance regarding preservation of original devices, messages, emails, screenshots, URLs, metadata, call records, transaction histories, login information and other electronic material relevant to an investigation or judicial proceeding.
• Digital evidence and chain of custody: Legal assessment of the collection, integrity, authenticity, forensic examination and production of electronic evidence before the investigating agency or competent court.
• Accused-side representation: Representation of persons facing cybercrime complaints, inquiries, investigations or prosecutions, including review of allegations, statutory ingredients, digital evidence, identification evidence and procedural compliance.
• Bail and remand proceedings: Preparation and conduct of legally maintainable pre-arrest or post-arrest bail proceedings and representation during physical or judicial remand.
• Cybercrime trial: Representation during charge, prosecution evidence, cross-examination, forensic evidence, defence evidence, final arguments and other proceedings before the designated court.
• Appeals, revisions and constitutional remedies: Challenge to convictions, acquittals, sentences, procedural orders, unlawful investigation or jurisdictional defects before the competent forum.
• Business and organizational cyber incidents: Legal assistance concerning employee misuse of systems, unauthorized disclosure of commercial information, compromised business accounts, data breaches, internal investigations and preservation of corporate electronic records.

Principal Legal Framework

Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016, as amended by the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act, 2025; Pakistan Penal Code, 1860; Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898; Qanun-e-Shahadat Order, 1984; Electronic Transactions Ordinance, 2002; and other applicable criminal, evidentiary and procedural laws.

Investigating Agency

Offences under PECA are investigated by authorized officers of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency. Where alleged online conduct also constitutes a separate conventional offence, proceedings may involve coordination with another competent law-enforcement agency according to the facts and applicable law.