ISLAMABAD: The federal government announced two new appointments in Pakistan’s law enforcement agencies. Riffat Mukhtar, a senior police officer, has been named the director general of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
Waqar-ud-Din Syed, another police officer, has been appointed as the director general of the newly created National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA).
Riffat Mukhtar, who was working as the inspector general of the National Highways and Motorway Police (NH&MP), will now lead the FIA. The FIA handles cases like terrorism, corruption, and human trafficking.
Mukhtar has a lot of experience, having worked as an additional secretary in the interior ministry and as the inspector general of Sindh before joining NH&MP in December last year. His appointment follows the rules of the Federal Investigation Agency Act, 1974, and the Civil Servants Act, 1973, and starts right away.
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In a separate move, Waqar-ud-Din Syed, who was serving in the FIA, will now head the NCCIA. This agency, part of the Interior Division, focuses on fighting cybercrime in Pakistan. Syed’s appointment is based on the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016 (updated in 2025) and the Civil Servants Act, 1973.
It also takes effect immediately. Before this, Syed worked as a director in the FIA’s Cybercrime Circle and was recently honored with the Sitara-e-Imtiaz award by the president for his work in tackling cybercrime. He is the first director general of the NCCIA.
The government says these appointments show its effort to improve law enforcement and cybersecurity in the country. Both officers bring their past experience to these important roles.
