Pakistan's NCCIA busts transnational child abuse ring led by German national

• International gang targeted children between 6 and 10. 
• A “children’s club” was set up as front to attract victims.
• German suspect reportedly travelled to Pakistan for 28 days.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s cybercrime watchdog has unearthed a horrifying international child exploitation network operating out of Muzaffargarh, allegedly masterminded by a German national named Renz.

Minister of State for Interior, Talal Chaudhry, announced this major milestone during a joint press conference with National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) Director General Dr Syed Waqar-ud-din Syed on Tuesday in Islamabad.

According to officials, the gang targeted children between the ages of 6 and 10, most of whom came from extremely poor families. 

A so-called “children’s club” was set up as a front to attract the victims. It featured advanced facilities, including high-quality cameras, lighting, and recording equipment.

Chaudhry revealed that children were first given money and then blackmailed into exploitation. 

"The videos were recorded in a studio-like setting and sold on the dark web for thousands of dollars per day," the minister said, adding that the German suspect reportedly travelled to Pakistan for 28 days, trained local operators, and established the setup.

“This was not just a local case. This was an international operation being run from within Pakistan, and we have confirmed that this gang was creating and distributing live content globally.”

A major raid was carried out by the NCCIA on May 23, with support from local police and intelligence agencies. The operation led to the rescue of at least six children, who have been handed over to the Punjab Child Protection Bureau. In total, over 50 children were identified as victims.

Authorities have so far registered 178 FIRs (first information reports) related to child exploitation. Of these, 14 individuals have already been sentenced to 7–10 years in prison. 

Two suspects from this particular case were arrested during the raid, while three others remain at large. Efforts are underway to locate and apprehend them.

Some victims’ parents were also complicit, either knowingly or in exchange for money. “It is heartbreaking to say that in some cases, even the parents were part of this horrific business,” said the minister.

The NCCIA acted on intelligence received through the US-based National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and from Interpol. The agency is equipped with a 24/7 monitoring system and collaborates with global organisations to track and prevent online crimes against children.

Dr Waqar-ud-din added that hundreds of videos were recovered from the studio, and many were already being circulated through encrypted apps like WhatsApp and Telegram, and later sold on the dark web.

“This is a major breakthrough. It’s the first time such a large, organised international network has been exposed and disrupted in Pakistan,” said the DG. “We are working closely with Interpol and German authorities to trace and arrest the foreign suspects.”

He also highlighted that Pakistan is now among the 71 countries with access to Interpol’s global databases, which has helped speed up investigations and international cooperation.

Chaudhry emphasised that new amendments in the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) have increased punishment for child exploitation crimes from 7–10 years to 14–20 years. These offences are now non-bailable and non-compoundable.

“We are taking this matter very seriously,” he said. “The prime minister and interior minister have been briefed, and we are seeking funds to expand NCCIA offices across the country. We want a strong cybercrime unit in every district of Pakistan.”

The minister concluded by calling on the media and civil society to support efforts in combating online child abuse. “This is not just the government’s fight. It is a fight for our children, our future, and our moral responsibility.”