Limited recoveries in Pakistan extortion scandals raise alarm among lawmakers

Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) came under intense parliamentary scrutiny on Monday after lawmakers questioned its handling of two major corruption cases involving its cybercrime wing, highlighting limited recoveries despite high-profile allegations.

The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication was briefed on the cases, which include the alleged extortion of Aroob Jatoi, wife of popular YouTuber Saad ur Rehman, known as Ducky Bhai, and an ongoing investigation into a purported PKR 150 million per month extortion racket linked to illegal call centers operated under the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA).

Millions recovered, but only partially

FIA Additional Director General of the Anti-Corruption Circle, Akbar Nasir Khan, told the committee that PKR 42.548 million had been recovered from NCCIA officials and one private individual implicated in the illegal arrest and extortion of Jatoi during her husband’s detention at the agency.

According to the FIA, nine individuals were named in the FIR registered on Jatoi’s complaint. Five officials - Zawar Ahmed and Muhammad Usman, both Deputy Directors; Mujtaba Zafar, Assistant Director; Yasir Ramzan and Ali Raza, Sub Inspectors - were granted post-arrest bail, while bail requests from Additional Director Chaudhry Sarfaraz and private individual Salman Aziz were rejected.

Nasir Khan said Sohaib Riaz, an Assistant Director, remains in judicial custody, while Ayaz Khan, Deputy Director of NCCIA Lahore, is still at large.

The FIA detailed recoveries from the accused, including PKR 11.295 million from Additional Director Sarfaraz Ahmed, PKR 9.99 million from Zawar Ahmed, PKR 9 million from another accused, PKR 5.015 million from Usman, PKR 3.6 million from Mujtaba, PKR 700,000 from Sub Inspector Ali Raza, PKR 1.948 million, and PKR 1 million from Salman Aziz.

“The alleged persons were involved in receiving illegal gratification from Aroob Jatoi in exchange for favors to her husband, Ducky Bhai. They are also accused of soliciting monthly illegal payments from various call centers and companies for favorable treatment,” Khan told the committee.

He added that letters had been sent to trace the bank accounts and properties of the accused, asset declaration forms had been requested from FIA headquarters in Islamabad, and investigations are ongoing.

Call center extortion spotlighted

During the briefing, Khan also updated lawmakers on FIR 97 of 2025, registered on Nov. 8 by FIA’s Anti-Corruption Circle Islamabad, over allegations that NCCIA officials were extorting PKR 150 million per month from illegal call centers in Bahria Town, Rawalpindi.

The FIR names 13 accused, including 10 NCCIA officials and three private individuals, one of whom is a Chinese national. The officials allegedly conspired to extract PKR 300 million in bribes from illegally operating call centers in exchange for legal protection and favorable case outcomes involving Chinese nationals.

According to the FIA, Salman Awan, Deputy Director of the Anti-Blasphemy Unit, and Sarim Ali, Sub Inspector, are on post-arrest bail, while Shehzad Haider, Additional Director, Haider Abbas, Deputy Director, and Zaheer Abbas, Sub Inspector, have obtained protective bail.

Several others, including serving NCCIA officials, private intermediaries, and Chinese national Gua Kaxian (also known as Kelvin), remain at large.

Minimal recovery raises questions

Despite allegations of PKR 300 million in bribes, only PKR 1.5 million has been recovered so far, seized from Sub Inspector Sarim Ali’s residence.

Senator Palwasha Khan, chairperson of the committee, criticized the FIA for delays in completing the investigations, warning that the agency’s credibility was at stake given that most accused officials held Grade 16 to 19 positions.

In response, Akbar Nasir Khan defended the FIA’s actions, citing recent disciplinary measures against 271 officers - representing 5.8 percent of the agency’s workforce - as part of a broader anti-corruption crackdown.

“We have penalized 271 officers of FIA and NCCIA in a recent crackdown against corruption,” he said, emphasizing that legal formalities had been completed.