KARACHI: A court has discharged television and social media personality Waqar Zaka in a case pertaining to an alleged Rs86 million cryptocurrency scam after allowing the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) to withdraw its case from prosecution.

The NCCIA had filed a plea before Judicial Magistrate (East) Gulraiz Memon under Section 494 of the criminal procedure code to withdraw from the prosecution against Mr Zaka.

The NCCIA submitted before the court that the case was registered against the digital content creator on allegations involving cryptocurrency activities, foreign remittances, and electronic fraud.

However, it added that after a thorough investigation and the submission of a final charge sheet, the NCCIA found that the monetary transactions were conducted through “regular banking channels and no admissible digital forensic evidence exists to support the charges” against the suspect.

State prosecutor Sheeraz Rajpar also submitted the approval letter issued by Additional Director Muhammad Tariq Nawaz and argued that “further prosecution would be a futile exercise, a waste of judicial time, and that there is no likelihood of conviction even if the trial proceeds”.

After hearing the prosecutor and examining the application, the court noted that as per records the grounds mentioned in the plea lack incriminating evidence. However, it observed that the prosecution request was made in good faith and in the interest of justice.

“Since the prosecution no longer wishes to pursue the charges due to a lack of evidence, consent is hereby granted. The application under Section 494 CrPC is allowed,” the order said and added that Mr Zaka was discharged in this case, since the charge had not been framed.

Earlier, the NCCIA had submitted a charge sheet in which it stated that the inquiry was initiated against Mr Zaka in 2022 for the offences punishable under the Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act, 2016, Pakistan Penal Code, Anti-Money Laundering Act 2020 and Foreign Exchange Regulation Act 1947.

It added that the travel history confirmed that Mr Zaka was outside the country.

However, the investigating officer of the case, Arfa Saeed, stated in the report during the investigation she found that payments for the crypto-related course were voluntary and no documentary evidence, agreement, guarantee or false representation could substantiate any dishonest intent at the outset, which was essential for establishing cheating, electronic fraud, or forgery.

She added that digital forensic examination confirmed only platforms providing cryptocurrency information, mining option, and subscription-based advisory services. “No hacking, data manipulation, electronic forgery, or technical fraud under PECA, 2016 was established,” the IO said.

“In view the prolonged pendency of the case, the non-availability of the accused, and the prevailing national circumstances, coupled with the existing workload on investigation officers and constraints faced by the prosecution, it is pertinent to state that the proceedings in the present matter are not likely to reach any meaningful or tangible conclusion within a reasonable time,” the IO said in the charge sheet.

She also informed the court that in the case no private complainant or any aggrieved victim came on record alleging that his or her legal rights were violate by Mr Zaka.

Therefore, she informed that in this scenario continuous prosecution would not serve useful purpose and advised the prosecution to seek withdrawal from the case.

Published in Dawn, July 19th, 2026