The Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) has urged the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) to distinguish legitimate call centres and IT companies from scam centres during its ongoing crackdown on fraud networks.
The association said it supports action against businesses involved in scams but warned that raids on legitimate software houses and IT-enabled services companies could damage Pakistan’s technology industry.
P@SHA said it had received complaints from member companies about NCCIA teams entering offices without showing warrants, questioning employees for hours, and taking away laptops, servers, and mobile phones.
In some cases, the association said, equipment was taken even when investigators found no evidence of illegal activity.
P@SHA warned that such actions can stop companies from delivering services to foreign clients, expose confidential customer data, and create uncertainty among employees and investors.
The association said it fully supports lawful investigations against scam centres because they defraud people in Pakistan and abroad and damage the country’s reputation. However, it stressed that legitimate IT businesses should not face the same treatment as fraudulent operations.
“Every single dollar is earned on trust,” said Dr. Shoab Ahmed Khan, Chairman of P@SHA.
He said foreign clients could move their contracts to India, the Philippines, or Eastern Europe if they hear that a Pakistani service provider’s office has been raided and its servers seized.
“The fraudsters lose a call centre, but Pakistan loses a market,” he added.
P@SHA said Pakistan’s IT exports reached a record $4.6 billion in FY2025-26, compared with $3.8 billion in the previous year. The government aims to increase IT exports to $10 billion by FY2028-29 under Uraan Pakistan, with a broader national target of $15 billion.
The association also said freelance exports grew by around 51 percent in the first nine months of FY2025-26.
It highlighted that Pakistan produces more than 70,000 computing graduates annually. Families, universities, and government institutions are investing in developing the workforce needed to support the technology sector.
The Ministry of IT and Telecom, Pakistan Software Export Board, Ignite, State Bank of Pakistan, and Higher Education Commission are also working towards achieving the country’s IT export targets.
P@SHA warned that unnecessary raids could undermine these efforts and push skilled professionals to seek opportunities abroad.
The association noted that the NCCIA has acknowledged that some fraud operators register their businesses as IT companies. It said this makes it important to verify businesses properly rather than treating every office with computers and night-shift employees as suspicious.
What P@SHA wants from the NCCIA
The association has proposed several measures to prevent legitimate businesses from being affected by investigations:
1. Show warrants before searches: The NCCIA should present court warrants before searching company premises and follow the relevant laws and procedures. Employees, particularly women, should be treated respectfully.
2. Verify companies before raids: The agency should check a registered company’s status with PSEB and P@SHA through designated representatives before taking action.
3. Avoid unnecessary equipment seizures: Investigators should make forensic copies of required data at company premises instead of taking away entire systems. Equipment unrelated to an investigation should be returned within seven days with proper documentation.
4. Protect foreign client data: Information belonging to international clients should be handled carefully and in accordance with confidentiality and data-protection agreements.
5. Avoid declaring companies guilty before investigations: Company names should not be publicly associated with criminal activity before forensic findings and formal charges.
6. Set up a joint committee: P@SHA has proposed a committee involving the NCCIA, Ministry of IT and Telecom, PSEB, and the association to review complaints, exchange information about scam operators, and develop procedures for investigations involving registered IT companies.
7. Prevent harassment and mistreatment: The association has also raised concerns about the alleged physical mistreatment of employees during raids and interference with CCTV systems and other recording equipment.
“We will work hand in hand with NCCIA to root out the scam networks that give our country a bad name,” Dr. Shoab Ahmed Khan said.
He added that investigations should target fraudulent businesses without punishing legitimate companies.
P@SHA has requested an urgent meeting with the Minister for IT and Telecom, the Interior Ministry, and the NCCIA Director General. It also plans to share specific complaints from member companies with the authorities.
