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Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari has strongly criticised Sindh Minister Sharjeel Memon over his remarks about the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections. Azma Bukhari told Memon to “drink cold water and pour some on his head,” saying the election was over and the people of AJK had already delivered their verdict. She said the election results had proved the Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) calculations wrong and dismissed its allegations regarding pre-poll rigging. Bukhari claimed that a PML-N candidate had recovered bags containing ballot papers from the residence of a PPP candidate one night before polling. Taking a sharp jibe at the PPP, she said its “arrow had disappeared in the valleys of Kashmir,” while the PML-N’s “lion” was roaring across the region. She said AJK voters had given their verdict in favour of PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif during the first phase of the elections. Bukhari urged the PPP to learn to accept defeat instead of raising allegations whenever it loses an election. She said political parties should celebrate victories but also show maturity in defeat. She further questioned the PPP’s position on elections in Gilgit-Baltistan. Bukhari asked whether the party considered those elections transparent because it had formed the government there. She said it was unfair to describe an election as transparent when a party wins and allege rigging when it loses.

LAHORE: In one of the largest cybercrime crackdowns in recent months, Pakistan’s National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has dismantled an organised online fraud network, arresting 27 suspects during coordinated operations in Lahore, Multan and Faisalabad. According to officials, the suspects were part of an organised “OTP Gang” accused of targeting bank customers through sophisticated phone scams. Investigators said the group impersonated bank officials, customs officers and police personnel to deceive citizens into revealing sensitive financial information before stealing money from their accounts. The largest operation was carried out in Lahore, where NCCIA teams conducted raids at multiple locations and arrested 13 suspects in two separate operations. Authorities also recovered mobile phones, computers and other digital evidence believed to have been used in cyber fraud activities. In Multan, four intelligence-based operations resulted in the arrest of 13 key members of the network. Officials believe the suspects played central roles in planning and executing online scams that affected victims in different parts of the country. Meanwhile, in Faisalabad, investigators arrested another suspect allegedly involved in hacking bank and social media accounts. During the raid, officials recovered several fake SIM cards and digital devices that are being examined as part of the investigation. Preliminary findings suggest the network relied on social engineering techniques, convincing victims that their bank accounts or identity documents required urgent verification. Once victims shared one-time passwords (OTPs), banking details or verification codes, the suspects allegedly gained access to their accounts and carried out unauthorised financial transactions. Cybercrime investigators are analysing the seized electronic devices to identify additional members of the network, trace stolen funds and determine whether the group has links to other organised fraud rings operating across Pakistan. Following the successful operation, the NCCIA urged citizens to remain vigilant against phone and online scams. The agency warned people never to share their OTPs, ATM PINs, passwords or banking information with anyone claiming to represent a bank, government department or law enforcement agency. Officials also advised the public to verify suspicious calls through official customer service numbers and immediately report suspected cyber fraud to the relevant authorities. The latest crackdown highlights the growing threat of cyber-enabled financial crime in Pakistan and underscores the government’s increasing efforts to dismantle organised digital fraud networks while encouraging stronger public awareness of online security.