Malaysia police chief confirms 130 citizens held in Pakistan

Malaysia's inspector-general of police has confirmed that 130 Malaysians are being held in Pakistan in connection with a cybercrime syndicate, and that Malaysian investigators may be sent to Rawalpindi, Malay Mail reported.

AsiaOne.com carried the same figure and the same detail about a possible trip by Malaysian investigators to Rawalpindi. Both outlets published the case as a headline report; neither, as available, named the Pakistani agency holding the 130, the town or city where they were detained, the date of the detentions, or the offences alleged against them.

The number is attributed to Malaysia's police chief rather than to any Pakistani authority. Malay Mail's report did not name the inspector-general in its headline. Neither outlet carried a statement from Pakistan's Foreign Office, the interior ministry, or any Pakistani police or investigation agency, and neither said whether the detentions followed a joint operation or a request from Kuala Lumpur for access to those held.

Rawalpindi is the only place in Pakistan named in the two reports, and it appears only as the likely destination for a Malaysian investigation team. The reports did not say whether the 130 Malaysians are being held in the city, elsewhere in Punjab or in another province.

Neither report said how many people in total were detained in the operation, whether Pakistani prosecutors intend to file charges, or whether Malaysian consular officials have been given access to the group. There was no public comment from Pakistani officials in either item.