LAHORE: Lahore High Court Chief Justice Aalia Neelum on Thursday summoned details about the creation of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) and the number of its heads and directors served till date.

The chief justice was hearing a contempt of court petition filed by a citizen, Muhammad Ismail, over alleged non-compliance with a 2024 court’s directive to decide his application within 30 days.

Following a court’s notice, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director General Dr Usman Anwar appeared and explained that the application had been filed in 2024 and the NCCIA was subsequently established as a separate agency. He said the application in question related to the NCCIA.

“Tell me the date when the NCCIA came into existence,” the chief justice asked the FIA director general.

The chief justice observed that several such applications might have remained pending, including those filed by citizens who could not approach the courts. Dr Anwar said the agency had computerised its data and was working to clear pending applications, adding that the NCCIA had initially been established without its own building.

The DG said the petitioner’s complaint would be decided whenever he appeared. The chief justice remarked that the complainant should not be “managed” to have the petition withdrawn from the court.

Dr Anwar assured the court that this would not happen and that its orders would be complied with.

Published in Dawn, October 2nd, 2026