Pakistan’s National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has escalated its ongoing inquiry involving cricketer Mohammad Rizwan, issuing a formal notice for his second in-person appearance scheduled for October 2. The investigation, executed under the provisions of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), centers around the forensic examination of a mobile device that has remained in official custody for weeks.
The cybercrime scrutiny surrounding the 34-year-old former captain began shortly after the conclusion of the Lord’s Test on August 30. On that night, Rizwan’s phone was seized in London, marking the commencement of an investigation that later saw him make his initial appearance before the agency on September 10. Despite requests from the cricketer to have his communication device returned, the NCCIA has retained the phone as part of its ongoing proceedings.
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In its latest one-page notice, the agency directed Rizwan to present himself at the NCCIA police station in Wafaqi Colony, Lahore, at 3:00 PM on Thursday. The notice emphasizes that his cooperation is mandatory for the formal forensic analysis of the seized hardware. Furthermore, the agency cautioned that failure to attend would lead investigators to presume that the player has no defense or statement to offer regarding the matters under review.
The developments follow a legal recourse pursued by Rizwan in the Lahore High Court. In response to the initial summons, the cricketer moved the high court, which subsequently directed him to cooperate fully with the statutory investigation. At the same time, the court placed strict parameters on the agency, explicitly instructing investigators to conduct the inquiry strictly in accordance with the law and ensuring that the player is not subjected to unnecessary harassment or inconvenience.
