NCCIA raid leaves Karachi call centre employees confined for over 24 hours

KARACHI: Employees of a call centre in Karachi’s Tipu Sultan area remained inside the premises for more than 24 hours as the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) continued its operation, with several individuals detained for questioning.

According to sources, the agency launched the raid last night and its personnel were still present at the facility. The operation also drew a crowd of concerned families, prompting police deployment outside the building to maintain order.

Relatives claimed that minors were among those inside the call centre. One father said his 17-year-old son had started working there only two days earlier, while another reported that his 14-year-old son was also employed at the facility.

Families said they had been unable to contact or meet their children and were unaware whether food had been provided to them. They urged authorities to arrange phone contact with those inside.

The raid also triggered a protest on Shahrah-e-Faisal, where demonstrators blocked one side of the road in a sit-in. The protest ended after successful talks between police and the protesters.

Separately, the NCCIA has announced plans to expand its cybercrime awareness drive through visits to residential areas. Agency teams will educate families, students and children about online scams, financial fraud, cyber harassment and basic internet safety.

The campaign has already included awareness sessions at the Al-Khidmat Foundation and the University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Lahore, focusing on phishing and online financial scams. The agency has also warned of legal action against those involved in cybercrime and online harassment.