KARACHI: Pakistan’s National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has rescued a 13-year-old girl from a suspected dark web-linked online network that allegedly forced her to poison a cat before instructing her to seriously harm herself, officials said.
The rescue followed an intelligence alert from an international agency, which shared internet protocol (IP) addresses associated with suspicious online activity in 13 countries, including Pakistan.
According to NCCIA officials, the girl had become involved with an online group that assigned her a series of dangerous tasks. Her first task allegedly involved poisoning a cat, which subsequently died.
The group then instructed her to inflict serious harm on herself. However, investigators traced the Pakistani IP address to the girl and intervened before she could carry out the second instruction.
Intelligence leads to rescue
Officials said the international agency provided IP addresses being used across 13 countries to help authorities identify individuals linked to the suspected network.
The NCCIA’s Karachi team launched an investigation into the Pakistani IP address to trace those involved in the suspicious online activities.
READ ALSO: Pakistan Sets Up Dark Web Investigation Unit to Tackle Cybercrime
During the inquiry, investigators discovered that the person associated with the address was a potential victim rather than a perpetrator. Further investigation led them to the teenager, enabling authorities to intervene before the situation escalated.
Parents unaware
The girl’s parents were unaware of her involvement with the online group until NCCIA officials contacted them.
During questioning, they told investigators that they had noticed changes in their daughter’s behaviour over the preceding six months but had not connected them to her online activities.
The agency subsequently informed the family about the nature of the online interactions and the potential risks facing the teenager.
Investigation into network continues
The NCCIA is continuing its investigation to trace the accounts used to contact the girl and identify those operating the suspected network.
Officials are also examining whether other children in Pakistan may have been targeted through similar online activities.
The agency has not disclosed the identities or locations of the suspected operators. No arrests have been announced so far.
What is the dark web?
The dark web is a part of the internet that is not indexed by conventional search engines and generally requires specialised software, such as the Tor browser, to access.
It offers users greater anonymity, although it is also associated with criminal activities, including cybercrime, illegal trafficking and online exploitation.
The dark web has legitimate uses, such as protecting privacy and enabling communication under restrictive conditions. However, its anonymity can also be exploited by individuals and groups seeking to target vulnerable users.
Accessing the dark web is not inherently illegal in most jurisdictions, but using it to commit crimes is unlawful. The Karachi case highlights the potential dangers of online groups that manipulate children into carrying out harmful tasks.
