Pakistan’s National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has identified significant weaknesses in the country’s cybersecurity infrastructure, warning that it lacks real-time visibility into threats targeting critical information systems across multiple sectors.

In a report submitted to the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunications, the agency highlighted the absence of a centralized cyber threat intelligence platform, inadequate coordination between relevant organizations, and limited access to information needed for an effective national response.

The NCCIA said it currently has no mechanism to monitor cyber threats targeting Critical Information Infrastructure (CII) across different sectors in real time.

According to the report, cybersecurity monitoring is primarily carried out through Security Operations Centers (SOCs) established and managed independently by sectoral regulators and organizations.

However, the agency does not have direct access to a consolidated national threat intelligence platform or a unified dashboard capable of providing an overview of cyber threats affecting critical sectors.

The report warned that the absence of an integrated information-sharing mechanism could undermine timely threat detection, early-warning capabilities, and coordinated responses to cybersecurity incidents.

NCCIA Calls for Unified Cyber Threat Intelligence and Stronger Coordination

The agency emphasized the need for closer coordination among cybersecurity institutions, sectoral regulators, operators of critical information infrastructure, and Security Operations Centers.

It maintained that strengthening intelligence-sharing arrangements between these organizations would improve Pakistan’s ability to identify emerging threats and respond to cyber incidents.

The findings highlight a structural challenge in the country’s cybersecurity framework, where monitoring capabilities exist within individual organizations but are not integrated into a national system accessible to the NCCIA.

The agency also clarified the limits of its legal mandate and technical capabilities, stressing that its role is primarily investigative rather than preventive.

According to the report, the NCCIA does not have the mandate or technical infrastructure to encrypt government databases, secure network perimeters, install intrusion-detection systems on ministry servers, or make cybersecurity training compulsory for civil servants.

It recommended that the government enforce appropriate cybersecurity standards across all public-sector institutions to reduce the risk of future breaches.

The agency stated that responsibility for preventing cyberattacks rests with the relevant cybersecurity authorities and organizations holding sensitive data, while the NCCIA investigates criminal activity when security breaches occur.

This distinction, the report indicated, is important for defining institutional responsibilities and avoiding gaps in the protection of government information systems.

Cybercrime Investigation Continues as Agency Probes Possible Foreign Links

The report also outlined the next stages of an ongoing cybercrime investigation, including forensic examination of seized digital devices and further analysis of electronic evidence.

Investigators will examine communications and financial transactions to establish the complete modus operandi of the alleged criminal activity.

The NCCIA said it would also identify and investigate any additional individuals suspected of involvement.

Further legal action against a remaining accused person, identified as Arham Baree, will depend on the outcome of pending pre-arrest bail proceedings.

Following completion of the forensic examination and other investigative requirements, the agency intends to finalize the investigation and submit a challan under Section 173 of the Code of Criminal Procedure before the relevant magistrate.

The report states that the agency has dismantled one active trafficking network and is investigating possible foreign linkages. It does not provide further details about the network or establish the nature of those alleged international connections.

In its concluding assessment, the NCCIA described the cyber threat facing Pakistan as real and significant.

It reiterated that while the agency can investigate offenses and apprehend individuals involved in criminal activity following a breach, preventing such incidents requires effective security measures from cybersecurity institutions and data-holding organizations.

The findings underscore the need for a coordinated national cybersecurity framework capable of connecting existing monitoring systems, improving intelligence-sharing, and strengthening the protection of critical government and sectoral infrastructure.