Pakistani Authorities Arrest Suspect for Blackmailing Iraqi Women Near Afghan Border

UPPER DIR – The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has arrested a suspect near the Afghan border for allegedly harassing and blackmailing Iraqi women online, following an official request from the Iraqi Foreign Ministry.

The arrest took place in Upper Dir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, during a targeted raid by a specialized team from the NCCIA Peshawar Circle. The suspect, identified as Mustafa Khan, was allegedly involved in a cross-border cyber exploitation racket.

According to officials, Khan used social media platforms to lure Iraqi women under the pretense of marriage, gained access to their private photos and videos, and later blackmailed them using screenshots from video calls. In some cases, he is accused of hacking into an Iraqi family’s social media accounts to extract sensitive data and extort money.

Authorities revealed that private content was leaked through a fake social media account created in a woman’s name, causing severe distress to the victims.

The operation was launched after the Iraqi Foreign Ministry formally contacted the NCCIA’s Director General, urging action against the suspect. The area where the suspect was apprehended lies just a few kilometres from the Afghan border, raising concerns about the ease of cybercrime operations in remote border regions.

The NCCIA confirmed that further investigation is underway to determine if the suspect is linked to a broader network or had accomplices involved in international cyber exploitation.

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This incident highlights the growing threat of cross-border digital crimes and the need for increased international cooperation in cybercrime investigations.