The development is being hailed as a major milestone in Pakistan s cybercrime investigation framework, allowing law enforcement agencies to obtain legally requested information from Meta platforms more efficiently.

Meta Recognizes FIA s Official Contact Point

Under the new arrangement, Meta has formally recognized the FIA s Single Point of Contact (SPOC) based at the National Command and Control Center (NC3).

The recognition enables the FIA to communicate directly and securely with Meta regarding legal requests involving Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, eliminating several procedural delays.

Faster Access to Critical Digital Evidence

Previously, the FIA had to submit requests for user information through Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties (MLATs) or via Interpol, a process that often took several months before responses were received.

Officials say the new direct communication mechanism is expected to reduce response times to just a few days, significantly improving the speed of investigations in urgent and sensitive cases.

Types of Information FIA Can Request

Under the new system, all legal requests will be processed exclusively through the NC3.

These requests may include:

Data preservation requests

Basic subscriber information

Account registration details

Login IP history

Content removal requests

Emergency disclosure requests

Standardized Investigation Process

According to the newly established procedure, the investigating officer will first compile all required legal documents and identify the relevant Meta account.

After verification and approval by the Circle In-Charge, the request will be forwarded to the FIA s official Single Point of Contact at NC3, who will securely transmit it to Meta Asia Pacific through the dedicated communication channel.

An FIA senior official said routing all requests through a single authorized channel will enhance transparency, accountability, proper record-keeping, and the overall efficiency of investigations.

FIA Chief Welcomes the Initiative

FIA Director General Dr. Usman Anwar described the development as a significant advancement for Pakistan s digital law enforcement capabilities.

He said the direct communication mechanism with Meta will substantially improve the agency s ability to respond quickly and investigate time-sensitive cases involving:

Terrorism

Child sexual exploitation

Online fraud

Other serious cybercrime offenses

Strengthening Pakistan s Cybercrime Response

Officials believe the new system will strengthen Pakistan s capacity to combat cybercrime by enabling faster and more effective investigations into illegal activities conducted through social media platforms.

The initiative is expected to improve coordination between Pakistani law enforcement authorities and Meta, helping investigators preserve digital evidence and respond more rapidly to emerging cyber threats.