Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s (PTA) annual Cybersecurity Awareness Week concluded on December 17, but critics say the campaign offered little beyond preventive messaging, leaving cybercrime victims without meaningful redress. Observed under the theme “Building a Safe, Secure, and Resilient Cyberspace,” the initiative focused on awareness around phishing, deepfakes, misinformation, AI risks, and digital hygiene, while largely overlooking post-incident support and recovery for affected citizens.
Throughout the campaign, PTA urged users to report harmful or abusive online content first to social media platforms and, if unresolved, through the PTA’s online complaint portal. Awareness messages were also circulated via recorded ringtones, advising users not to share personal information or click suspicious links. Officials highlighted the need for responsible digital citizenship and praised the telecom sector’s security posture, with senior PTA representatives engaging operators such as Jazz Pakistan during the week.
However, the campaign introduced no new mechanisms to assist victims after cyber incidents occur. This gap is particularly stark as more than 200,000 complaints have reportedly been filed with the National Cybercrime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) this year. Despite amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act identifying 22 cybercrime and cybersecurity violations, the complaint-handling process remains slow, fragmented, and difficult to access for ordinary citizens.
Cybercrime victims commonly face hacking, financial fraud, and online harassment, while public figures are increasingly targeted through organised trolling and abuse. Lawmakers have raised concerns over the NCCIA’s effectiveness, noting that citizens require active protection, not just awareness campaigns. Institutional challenges persist within the agency, with most staff employed on expired annual contracts, delayed salaries, and limited geographic coverage forcing victims to travel long distances to lodge complaints.
Observers say the PTA’s emphasis on prevention reflects the absence of a robust national cybercrime redress framework. While awareness initiatives continue annually, the lack of structural reform and victim-centric enforcement has left many citizens discouraged from reporting cyber incidents at all.
