Lead
Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has established two new specialised units to combat crime on the dark web and through cryptocurrency, according to officials who spoke to Dawn. The units, housed in the agency's newly operational National Command and Control Centre (NC3) in Islamabad, are designed to track and prosecute criminals operating on encrypted online platforms and to prevent the misuse of virtual currencies for money laundering and terrorism financing.
Coverage comparison
The announcement was covered in two articles from Dawn, both quoting senior FIA officials. One article focuses on the dark web investigation unit, describing it as a dedicated effort to trace criminals using the anonymity of encrypted networks. The other details the creation of a cryptocurrency investigation unit, with an emphasis on regulating digital assets to prevent financial crimes. While the two pieces share a common thread—the FIA's modernisation—they highlight different aspects of the initiative: one stresses the technological challenge of the dark web, the other the regulatory and enforcement response to virtual currencies.
Key claims
According to FIA Director General Dr Usman Anwar, the dark web investigation unit will use modern technology to overcome obfuscation techniques employed by criminals, track dubious transactions usually carried out through cryptocurrency, and execute enforcement actions. He said the unit will focus on tracing criminal networks involved in creating illegal documents that facilitate human trafficking and illegal migrant smuggling, as well as other subjects within the FIA's remit.
The dark web, as explained in the reports, refers to websites not indexed by search engines and usually encrypted, accessible only through specialised browsers. It provides a cloak for criminals due to its decentralisation and anonymity, enabling activities such as hiring hitmen, trading drugs and weapons, selling stolen data, terrorism, piracy, and distributing malware and hacking tools. The reports note that the decentralised and transnational nature of these criminal activities makes investigation challenging, requiring technological solutions and international cooperation.
Dr Anwar said the dark web unit would work alongside the cryptocurrency investigation unit, using blockchain forensic capability to connect pseudonymous addresses to real-world identities.
Separately, Dr Muhammad Athar Waheed, Director of the FIA's Counter-Terrorism Wing, told Dawn that the cryptocurrency investigation unit would probe the possible use of digital assets in crimes. While the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) is the dedicated authority for regulating digital assets, the new unit will focus on investigating their misuse. Dr Waheed suggested that the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) and the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) should establish similar units to tackle the use of cryptocurrency in cybercrime and drug-related business. He added that new rules were being framed to ensure time-bound completion of inquiries.
The reports also mention that over 300 human trafficking cases were registered with the FIA in two years, and that the NC3 provides a unified platform for monitoring, intelligence fusion, inter-agency coordination, and nationwide operational support. Its Immigration Monitoring Unit and Integrated Border Management System offer real-time oversight of traveller movements, biometric verification, and screening at all ports of entry and exit.
Dr Waheed credited Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi with playing a pivotal role in strengthening the FIA, providing support to modernise the agency. He noted that with several reform initiatives, the FIA had demonstrated significant improvement and expected additional key projects to be completed over the next six months.