Cyberstalking and Online Harassment in Pakistan (2026 Legal Guide) — Rules & Requirements
About this article
Reviewed by the Commoner Law editorial team. Sources: pakistancode.gov.pk, Punjab/Sindh/KP/Balochistan provincial codes, Supreme Court of Pakistan, FBR, EOBI, SBP, NEPRA, OGRA, PMDC, FIA, and provincial Healthcare Commissions. Provincial variations cite Punjab/Sindh/KP/Balochistan Acts and ICT-specific ordinances. Written in plain English with everyday Urdu legal terms (FIR, qabza, khula, NTN, CNIC) for a general audience — this is educational content, not legal advice. Our editorial standards
What is this right?
Cyberstalking is a cognisable offence in Pakistan under Section 24 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016. The section criminalises the use of an information system to coerce, intimidate, harass, take a photograph of, or display the photograph of a person without their consent — including repeated unwanted communications, threats, and tracking. Where the conduct also damages reputation or invades privacy through electronic means, Section 21 (offences against modesty) attaches; where the conduct damages dignity, Section 20 (offences against dignity of a natural person) attaches. The 2025 PECA Amendment added Section 26-A (false / fake information — up to 3 years' imprisonment and a fine up to PKR 2,000,000), which is being actively challenged on human-rights grounds; treat it as live but contested law.
Since 3 May 2024, all PECA investigations are run by the NCCIA, not the FIA or provincial police. Section 30 PECA was amended in 2025 to make NCCIA's investigation powers exclusive. Filing creates the criminal-case record; PTA runs in parallel for content takedown and SIM blocking.
When does it apply?
- Repeated unwanted messages, calls, or contact attempts through any digital channel (WhatsApp, SMS, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, email, dating apps).
- Posts that share your photograph without consent, edit your image, or use your identity falsely (impersonation).
- Threats to publish or distribute content about you — sextortion overlaps with the NCII page.
- Doxxing — public disclosure of your home address, workplace, family members' identities, CNIC number, or phone number with intent to harass.
- Tracking by spyware, stalkerware, or unauthorised location-sharing on a phone.
- Account takeover or impersonation accounts opened in your name on social media.
Filing a Cyberstalking Complaint Under PECA
- Block, mute, and document. Block the account on the platform first, then take screenshots that include the username, the URL or platform handle, and the timestamps. Save to cloud (Google Drive, iCloud) immediately. Screenshots without URLs and timestamps are weaker evidence.
- File an online complaint at NCCIA. nccia.gov.pk. Cite PECA §24 (cyber stalking) and any additional sections that fit (§20 dignity, §21 modesty, §22 child if a minor is involved). Provide the full evidence file: screenshots with URLs, message exports, voice notes, transaction details if a payment was demanded.
- For platform-level removal, file at PTA in parallel. complaint.pta.gov.pk · 0800-55055. PTA has operational power to direct telecom operators and platforms to block unlawful content where the platform is licensed in Pakistan or accessible from a Pakistani IP.
- If the harassment is gendered or targets a woman, use the FIA Helpline for Gender-Based Violence channels in parallel where available, plus Madadgaar National Helpline (1098). Note: the FIA Helpline for Women / Madadgaar 1098 has historically been the front-line referral channel for gender-based-violence cases — the NCCIA is the criminal-investigation channel.
- For ongoing physical-safety risk, file a police complaint under the Penal Code at your local police station. The CrPC's general police powers (sections 154 FIR, 22-A Justice of Peace if SHO refuses) still apply to physical-safety crimes — kidnapping, threat, criminal intimidation under PPC §503. PECA is the cyber side; the PPC and CrPC are the physical-safety side. Run both.
- Keep a one-page timeline. NCCIA case number, PTA reference, local-police FIR number if filed, and the screenshots / evidence index. Any prosecution or civil claim will turn on this file.
What should you NOT do?
- Don't engage the stalker. Replying creates a record that the stalker can use to argue consent or invitation. Block, document, file.
- Don't post the screenshots publicly on Pakistani social media before NCCIA registers. PECA §20 (dignity) and §26-A (false / fake information) can attach to public commentary on a pending matter; evidence belongs to the official channel first.
- Don't go to your local police station to file a PECA cyber-stalking FIR. Since the 2025 amendment to Section 30 PECA, NCCIA has exclusive investigation powers under the Act. Police-registered PECA FIRs are open to legal challenge. (Local police DO still handle non-cyber offences — threats, criminal intimidation under the PPC.)
- Don't ignore the PTA / platform takedown route. NCCIA prosecution can take months. PTA + platform takedown is the fastest way to stop the harm.
About Data Privacy & Digital Rights in Pakistan
Pakistan does not yet have a general data protection law. The Personal Data Protection Bill — most recently in circulation as the draft Personal Data Protection Act 2025 — remains in Parliament and is not enforced. In its absence, your digital-rights protections come from scattered statutes: the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 (cyberstalking §24, modesty offences §21, dignity offences §20, child pornography §22, spoofing §26); the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organisation) Act 1996 (telecom secrecy); the Banking Companies Ordinance 1962 (banking confidentiality); and Article 14 of the Constitution (dignity of person, privacy of home).
For non-consensual intimate imagery (NCII), 'deepfake' sexual content, or sextortion, the criminal path runs through the NCCIA under PECA §§ 21 and 24 — and victims should also use StopNCII.org in parallel. StopNCII generates a hash of the image on your device and shares the hash with participating platforms so they can detect and remove uploads; the actual image never leaves your device. The service is available in Urdu and requires the depicted person to be 18+ at the time the image was taken. For minors, use takeitdown.ncmec.org instead.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly does PECA §24 cover?
Section 24 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 criminalises the use of an information system to coerce, intimidate, harass, take a photograph of, or display the photograph of a person without consent. It covers repeated unwanted communications, threats, electronic surveillance, and image-based abuse short of the modesty offences in §21. The provision is cognisable, meaning NCCIA can investigate without a magistrate's order on the bare information of cognizable facts.
Is the new §26-A on 'false information' enforceable?
Section 26-A was added by the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act 2025 (enacted 29 January 2025) and criminalises 'intentional' dissemination of false and fake information with up to three years' imprisonment and a fine up to PKR 2,000,000. It is being actively challenged on free-expression grounds by Pakistani and international human-rights organisations. Treat it as live but contested law — and assume use against journalists and activists is being closely watched in litigation.
Does the local police investigate cyberstalking?
No — for PECA offences. Since the 2025 amendment to Section 30 of PECA, the NCCIA has exclusive investigation powers under the Act. The local police still handle non-cyber crimes — physical threats, kidnapping, criminal intimidation under the Pakistan Penal Code. For a stalking case with both online and offline elements, run two parallel complaints: NCCIA for the cyber side, local police for the physical-safety side.
What helplines exist for women experiencing online harassment?
Madadgaar National Helpline (1098) historically operated as a referral helpline for women, children, and survivors of violence; Punjab's Helpline for Women (1043) and provincial Women Protection Authorities also operate referral routes. For the criminal case under PECA, NCCIA at nccia.gov.pk is the correct channel. The helplines route to NCCIA / police; they don't themselves register FIRs.
What is the cyberstalking and online harassment under peca right in Pakistan?
Cyberstalking is a cognisable offence in Pakistan under Section 24 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016. The section criminalises the use of an information system to coerce, intimidate, harass, take a photograph of, or display the photograph of a person without their consent — including repeated unwanted communications, threats, and tracking. Where the conduct also damages reputation or invades privacy through electronic means, Section 21 (offences against modesty) attaches; where the conduct damages dignity, Section 20 (offences against dignity of a natural person) attaches. The...
When does cyberstalking and online harassment under peca apply?
Repeated unwanted messages, calls, or contact attempts through any digital channel (WhatsApp, SMS, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, email, dating apps).Posts that share your photograph without consent, edit your image, or use your identity falsely (impersonation).Threats to publish or distribute content about you — sextortion overlaps with the NCII page.Doxxing — public disclosure of your home address, workplace, family members' identities, CNIC number, or phone number with intent to harass.Tracking by spyware, stalkerware, or unauthorised location-sharing on a phone.Account takeover or...
How do I report online harassment in Pakistan?
Block, mute, and document. Block the account on the platform first, then take screenshots that include the username, the URL or platform handle, and the timestamps. Save to cloud (Google Drive, iCloud) immediately. Screenshots without URLs and timestamps are weaker evidence.File an online complaint at NCCIA. nccia.gov.pk. Cite PECA §24 (cyber stalking) and any additional sections that fit (§20 dignity, §21 modesty, §22 child if a minor is involved). Provide the full evidence file: screenshots with URLs, message exports, voice notes, transaction details if a payment was demanded.For...
What mistakes should I avoid with cyberstalking and online harassment under peca?
Don't engage the stalker. Replying creates a record that the stalker can use to argue consent or invitation. Block, document, file.Don't post the screenshots publicly on Pakistani social media before NCCIA registers. PECA §20 (dignity) and §26-A (false / fake information) can attach to public commentary on a pending matter; evidence belongs to the official channel first.Don't go to your local police station to file a PECA cyber-stalking FIR. Since the 2025 amendment to Section 30 PECA, NCCIA has exclusive investigation powers under the Act. Police-registered PECA FIRs are open to legal...