LAHORE: The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has begun prioritising complaints against individuals involved in blackmail, harassment and harming the “dignity and reputation of women”, and arrested 10 alleged “harassers” on Saturday in different parts of Punjab.

“The NCCIA is according the highest priority to complaints involving the harassment, exploitation, and blackmailing of women in the digital space,” NCCIA Punjab chief Muhammad Ali Waseem told Dawn.

“While the NCCIA remains committed to addressing all forms of cybercrime and is making every effort to facilitate complainants, cases related to the online harassment, intimidation, and blackmailing of women are being treated on a priority basis,” he said.

Waseem added that, given the serious psychological, social and reputational harm such offences can inflict on victims, the agency was ensuring swift action and dedicated attention to such complaints to provide timely relief and bring perpetrators to justice.

It is worth noting that a large number of these complaints are still pending with the cybercrime agency.

The suspects were arrested in separate operations carried out in Lahore, Multan, and Faisalabad for allegedly harassing women online, blackmailing them, and using objectionable content to exert pressure on victims.

Mobile phones, digital evidence and other relevant devices were recovered from the suspects and taken into custody for forensic examination.

The NCCIA said two suspects were arrested in Lahore in two separate complaints involving the alleged online harassment of women.

In another case, three suspects were arrested in Multan, while two others were taken into custody in separate cases on charges of harassing women through online platforms.

During operations in Faisalabad, a suspect was arrested for allegedly blackmailing his ex-wife by sending videos and photographs to her relatives. In another case, a suspect was arrested for online harassment of a woman.

The NCCIA said another suspect was arrested in Faisalabad for using artificial intelligence to create fake and objectionable images of a girl, and for extorting Rs2 million from her after threatening to circulate them on social media.

The agency said the digital evidence recovered indicated the involvement of the arrested suspects in online harassment and blackmail targeting women.

“Further investigations are underway, and additional legal action will be taken in light of the forensic analysis reports,” the NCCIA said.

Last week, the NCCIA arrested five suspects for online harassment of women in Punjab.

Meanwhile, an official said “swift action” taken on actor Momina Iqbal’s complaint of online harassment against ruling party MPA Saqib Chadhar underscored the agency’s zero-tolerance policy towards the harassment and victimisation of women in cyberspace.

The NCCIA registered a case against Chadhar, currently on bail, under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act.