LAHORE — Pakistan’s National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) in Punjab province arrested a man in Lahore for sexually exploiting and blackmailing hundreds of women. The suspect, Hafiz Ali Ahmad, posed as a spiritual healer. He offered online Istikhara consultations (an Islamic prayer for divine guidance in major life decisions) and the sale of amulets. The arrest took place during a raid on the Sanda neighborhood of Lahore on June 16, 2026.
According to a preliminary investigation reported by Dawn on June 17, 2026, the man targeted both men and women on social media. He used Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp to build trust before moving to exploitation and blackmail.
“The suspect exploited the vulnerabilities of women by promising solutions to their problems. He would charge hefty sums of money and sexually exploit them,” an NCCIA official told Dawn on June 17, 2026. He also blackmailed victims using obscene photos and videos obtained through deception. A phone recovered during the raid contained sexually explicit material involving women. “Initial probe reveals that some 400 people, mostly women, have fallen victim to this fake spiritual healer,” the official said. The device was taken in for technical and forensic examination.
Charges were filed under Sections 14 (online fraud), 20 (online harassment), 21 (distributing intimate images without consent), and 24 (cyberstalking) of Pakistan’s Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA 2016), as amended in 2025. Investigators are also working to identify additional victims and accomplices.
The pattern is not unusual in the region. In June 2026, a fake marabout in Conakry, Guinea, was jailed for raping a teenager while posing as a spiritual healer and kept her hair as a witchcraft threat.
“Strict action will be taken against the individuals involved in harassment, exploitation and blackmail of women.” — Muhammad Ali Waseem, Director, NCCIA Punjab, according to Dawn, June 17, 2026.
