The Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights on Tuesday instructed officials to establish definite timelines for processing cybercrime and financial fraud complaints and to regularly inform victims about their cases.
Led by Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri, the session examined cryptocurrency fraud, offences via social media, student exploitation, child protection from harmful online content and the kidnapping of Pakistani seafarers. Senators Quratul Ain Marri, Sher Abid Ali, Masroor Ahsan and other members questioned the relevant authorities.
Committee members highlighted delays in complaint registration and investigations, fraudulent phone calls, misuse of WhatsApp accounts and personal ID data, suspicious bank accounts, illegal SIM use and the recovery of lost money. Senator Samina urged practical steps to help victims retrieve their funds.
Authorities reported that suspicious accounts had been frozen in some instances, and recovered money was returned according to court orders and legal rules. The chair said investigation results, recoveries and legal actions against accused should be shown through clear, verifiable statistics to assess institutional performance.
The panel also stressed the need for awareness drives in schools. Senator Samina instructed officials to launch programmes in universities and colleges and to use social media to teach students about fake investment schemes, phishing, dubious links and safeguarding personal data.
Regarding obscene and inappropriate content accessible to children on social media, the chair noted that merely advising parents was insufficient. She demanded that authorities identify objectionable material, block it promptly and act on complaints, while improving coordination with platforms and reporting actions to the committee.
Director Shipping Wing Arif Haroon briefed members on the hostage situation of Pakistani seafarers off Somalia's coast. The chair asked why the crew's release was delayed, the repatriation of a dead seafarer's body, financial aid for families and medical care for injured crew were pending. He said the ship owner, manning agency and parties linked to Protection and Indemnity (P&I) insurance were negotiating compensation.
Senator Quratul Ain Marri requested details on government help for families of deceased seafarers. The chair directed officials to supply a full record of crew salaries, medical treatment and financial payments from April to September, and to verify reports about the prime minister's announced assistance.
The committee reviewed cases where money was taken from citizens under the guise of overseas education, study visas and jobs, noting that about Rs5 million was recovered in one instance.
She emphasized verifying the legal status of companies and consultancies operating in these areas and called for legal action against fraudsters and their facilitators. Citizens were advised to check the credentials of such organisations before paying.
The panel expressed serious concern over the lack of representatives from the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Senator Samina ordered both bodies to attend the next meeting with briefings, relevant records and details of actions taken within their mandates.
The committee also considered the case of Laiba Ijaz, a gold-medalist graduate of International Islamic University Islamabad, whose death was linked to alleged fraud involving fake admission documents for U.S. higher education. An Islamabad Police officer of SP rank briefed members on the death's circumstances and investigation progress.
The chair called for a thorough, transparent and impartial probe into the alleged fraud and all parties involved, stating that cases of fraudulent overseas education and visa consultancy require coordination among police, the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the HEC and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
