ISLAMABAD: As online spaces grow increasingly unsafe for children, Pakistan is facing an unprecedented surge in digital evidence linked to child sexual exploitation and abuse, with nearly one million referrals received each year; therefore, swift identification of the most urgent cases has become a critical national priority.

In response, the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has launched ‘Katalyst’, an AI-enabled investigative tool designed to strengthen the country’s capacity to detect, prioritise, and investigate cases of online child sexual exploitation and abuse. The system has been developed through a partnership between the Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control and the UK-Pakistan Serious Crime and Law Enforcement (Upscale) Programme, funded by the British High Commission, and was formally launched in Islamabad.

The system was launched by the Minister of State for Interior and Narcotics Control, Talal Chaudhry; the British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Jane Marriott; and the Director General of the NCCIA, Syed Khurram Ali.

Mr Chaudhry appreciated the efforts of the NCCIA and the British High Commission in improving the country’s response to online child abuse and exploitation. He reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to building the NCCIA’s capacity to respond to emerging challenges, emphasising the importance of aligning policy and institutional reforms with evolutions in technology.

He further said, “Protecting children from online exploitation is a national responsibility. The deployment of artificial intelligence at NCCIA reflects the Government of Pakistan’s commitment to modernising law enforcement and ensuring that perpetrators of online child abuse are identified and brought to justice.”

Speaking at the event, Chairperson of the National Commission on the Rights of the Child (NCRC) Ayesha Raza Farooq, highlighted the importance of taking a whole-of-government approach to online child sexual exploitation and abuse. She highlighted NCRC’s role in partnering with social media platforms, raising awareness and advancing a holistic national policy to address online child sexual exploitation and abuse.

Director General NCCIA, Syed Khurram Ali, emphasised that protecting children from online harm was a core priority for the agency. Since its establishment in April 2025, NCCIA has handled a high volume of cybercrime reports.

He welcomed support from the Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control and the British High Commission in the deployment of AI to significantly increase NCCIA’s capacity to review NCMEC referrals, from around 1,200 to over 100,000 per month.

The British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Jane Marriott, highlighted that online child abuse was a global issue that transcended borders. She noted that child protection was a core UK priority at home and overseas, and emphasised the value of the UK-Pakistan partnership in safeguarding children in both countries.

Published in Dawn, February 1st, 2026