AI-enabled tool to counter child abuse in Pakistan

2026-01-29 - 21:01

The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) in order to counter threats of child exploitation and sexual abuse, has launched an AI-enabled investigative tool called ‘Katalyst’ designed to strengthen the country’s capacity to detect, prioritise, and investigate cases of online child sexual exploitation and abuse. The system has been developed through a partnership between the Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control and the UK-Pakistan Serious Crime and Law Enforcement (UPSCALE) Programme, funded by the British High Commission, and was formally launched in Islamabad. The system was launched by the Minister of State for Interior and Narcotics Control, Talal Chaudhry alongwith the British High Commissioner Jane Marriott and the Director General (DG) of the NCCIA, Syed Khurram Ali. Talal appreciated the efforts of the NCCIA and the British High Commission in improving the country’s response to online child abuse and exploitation. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to building the NCCIA’s capacity to respond to emerging challenges, emphasizing the importance of aligning policy and institutional reforms with evolutions in technology. Closing the ceremony, he said, “Protecting children from online exploitation is a national responsibility. The deployment of artificial intelligence at NCCIA reflects the Government of Pakistan’s commitment to modernizing law enforcement and ensuring that perpetrators of online child abuse are identified and brought to justice.”