Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) sets up a cryptocurrency investigation unit to look into the suspected use of virtual assets in crimes, including money laundering and terrorism financing. FIA Counter-Terrorism Wing Director Dr Muhammad Athar Waheed says the unit is housed in the FIA’s newly operational National Command and Control Centre (NC3). He adds that Pakistan’s Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) remains the primary regulator for digital assets, while the FIA unit focuses on probing possible criminal use.
Waheed describes NC3 as a central platform that supports monitoring, intelligence fusion, and inter-agency coordination, integrating multiple operational and oversight functions under one command structure. He also indicates that reforms and new rules are being framed to ensure time-bound completion of inquiries.
The FIA official says NC3 includes dedicated anti-money laundering and virtual currency investigation components, along with capabilities such as open-source intelligence and dark web investigation support. The NC3 setup also supports broader investigative coordination and case-management functions. The FIA leadership further links the reorganisation to improved performance, ongoing recruitment, and strengthened operational cooperation, including through an international coordination role for cross-border law enforcement.
