KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister SyedMuradAliShah said on Wednesday that the provincial government was strengthening law enforcement agencies (LEAs) across Sindh to curb cybercrime while urging the public to stay alert to possibilities of online fraud, bogus investment offers and other digital scams.

On International Day Against Cybercrime, he appealed to the public to be vigilant against online fraud, saying that cybercrime was a major threat of the modern era.

Mr Shah said that while the provincial government was taking steps to protect the people from online scams, public awareness was the most effective weapon to stop fraud and hacking.

“It is the need of the hour to make the youth aware of cyber security and digital responsibility,” he added.

He said that the provincial government was strengthening the capacity of law enforcement agencies to prevent cybercrime. “Protecting women and children from online harassment is among the government’s priorities,” he added.

He also stressed the need to ensure cyber security along with digital development.

It may be noted that the provincial government has planned to create a provincial cybercrime unit to boost investigations and prevent online crimes within the province.

The proposed unit will cooperate with lawenforcement agencies and international partners, pending federal government’s approval to empower Sindh police under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Peca) Act 2016.

At present, the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), a federal entity, is responsible for investigating cybercrimes, including harassment, banking fraud, threats, blackmailing or cheating with the help of electronic devices, and contact the managements of Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Hotmail or YouTube for evidence.

Published in Dawn, December 25th, 2025