Pakistan Cracks Down on Crypto Crimes with New Investigation Unit

Pakistan has established a dedicated unit to investigate crimes involving digital assets, including money laundering and terrorist financing.

The Digital Assets Crime Investigation Team was created under the National Command and Control Center, and will work alongside the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA), the country's digital-asset regulator.

Muhammad Athar Waheed, director of the FIA's Counter Terrorism Wing, said the unit will focus on crimes involving digital assets, including money laundering and terrorist financing.

Pakistan has recently expanded its digital-asset framework and related initiatives. In March, Pakistan's parliament passed the Virtual Assets Act, making PVARA a permanent federal regulator with licensing authority over exchanges, custodians and token issuers.