"Child pornography was being used to make money."
Twenty-two suspects were arrested in Pakistan on Wednesday, February 13, 2019, in connection with a child pornography ring.
This comes after an investigation by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Cybercrime wing.
Director General Muhammad Shoaib said that 20 people had been arrested for trapping children into child pornography through social media.
Another two suspects were arrested for using fake accounts to upload distasteful photographs of two women.
According to authorities, it was revealed that they trapped minors by sending them friendship requests from fake accounts on Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter.
The accounts were mostly created in the names of women. Minors were then exploited by the suspects.
Shoaib said:
“Child pornography was being used to make money.”
The FIA had received complaints from across the country and abroad regarding people in Pakistan having connections with international child pornography rings.
Two men who are connected to the gang were arrested on Tuesday, February 12, 2019, for uploading fake photos of two women on social media.
The FIA cyber crimes unit registered cases against Fakhre Alam of Peshawar and Ahmed Zaib of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
A woman filed a complaint stating that someone had been uploading fake objectionable photos of her on Facebook and Instagram.
During the investigation, it was revealed that the fake accounts were created through a mobile phone and the phone number was found to be in the name of Ishfaq Ahmad.
In his statement, he claimed the phone was being used by Alam.
Zaib was arrested after another woman complained that someone had been blackmailing her by sending her distasteful photos on WhatsApp.
The FIA stated a man named Jihad Ali confirmed that he had received photos of the woman from Zaib.
Using social media to exploit others has become a growing trend within the country.
The Cybercrime wing in Peshawar arrested a man for defaming a woman by uploading her photos on social media.
According to FIA sub-inspector Naheed Bilal, Irfan Ali Singh defamed the victim via messages and sending her pictures through Facebook.
The FIR read:
“It is established that the accused sent her pictures to her family to harm her reputation, modesty.”
Bilal said:
“There is a dire need to create awareness among the people about the modus operandi of the criminals who through fake accounts lured teenagers.”
The sub-inspector added that investigations were underway against 50 other suspects for their involvement in child pornography.
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