Authorities in Pakistan have arrested one of the country's most popular social media personalities as part of a major investigation into the promotion of
Authorities in Pakistan have arrested one of the country’s most popular social media personalities as part of a major investigation into the promotion of illegal online gambling. Saad ur Rehman, a YouTuber widely known as Ducky Bhai, was taken into custody by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) on 17 August.
The arrest took place at Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore as Rehman was reportedly attempting to travel abroad. He was stopped by immigration officials after his name was placed on the Provisional National Identification List (PNIL), a travel watch-list used for individuals who are under active investigation.
The NCCIA alleges that Rehman used his influential online platforms to promote a number of illegal and allegedly fraudulent gambling applications, including Binomo and B9 Game. The investigation, which began in June, claims that these apps defrauded users out of significant sums of money and that the promotions funnelled millions of dollars out of Pakistan.
The agency also claims that Rehman acted as an unapproved “country manager” for one of the gambling firms. Investigators have seized the YouTuber’s mobile phone, which they say contains evidence of communications and financial transactions related to the promotional activities. Following his arrest, a court granted the NCCIA a two-day physical remand to continue their questioning.
This high-profile arrest appears to be the spearhead of a much broader government crackdown on social media influencers in Pakistan. In a recent interview, Chaudhary Sarfaraz, Additional Director of Cyber Crime, directly named Rehman as someone who encourages gambling among a young audience.
Sarfaraz issued a stern warning that influencers promoting what he described as a lifestyle of “party culture and luxury” while undermining “education and responsible behaviour” would face strict action. This indicates a wider regulatory push against content deemed to be socially harmful or in breach of the country’s financial laws.
The arrest of a top-tier influencer is a powerful and very public signal from the Pakistani government. It shows a clear intent to move beyond simply blocking websites and to actively target the marketing and affiliate ecosystem that drives traffic to illegal gambling sites. For any operator or marketer considering targeting unregulated markets like Pakistan, this serves as a stark warning about the severe legal and personal risks involved in using local influencers for promotion.
