BAHAWALPUR: A storyline that sounds like it jumped straight out of "Breaking Bad" and "The Young Poisoner’s Handbook" has allegedly unfolded in real life in Pakistan, leaving the internet buzzing. A 17-year-old college student in Bahawalpur was arrested after authorities accused him of trying to poison his father and turning to an artificial intelligence chatbot for advice and assistance in carrying out the attempt, according to Pakistan’s National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA).
The teenager was arrested after the NCCIA received information from abroad about the plot, an agency spokesperson said on Wednesday, Sept. 23.
According to the agency, the boy had a strained relationship with his father and allegedly planned to harm him because of their differences. Investigators said the teenager had developed an interest in chemistry after watching the popular crime drama Breaking Bad.
Authorities reportedly discovered a small laboratory inside the teenager’s home, where he allegedly carried out chemical experiments. Investigators also found evidence suggesting that chemicals had been obtained from Australia and Islamabad, according to the NCCIA.
The agency said the teenager allegedly made an initial attempt to poison his father, but the attempt failed to cause the intended effect.
Instead of stopping there, investigators allege that the teenager later turned to an AI chatbot and asked for guidance on how to administer poison in a way that could kill his father without being detected.
That alleged use of AI became a major part of the investigation. The NCCIA said information about the teenager was later generated through an automated system and forwarded to its Punjab unit.
NCCIA Punjab Director Hissam bin Iqbal ordered the operation, according to the agency. The case has sparked wider concerns about how teenagers may use AI tools and how digital information can become connected to real-world criminal investigations.
The NCCIA has not publicly disclosed the specific chemicals allegedly involved or provided full details about the charges against the teenager. The allegations remain subject to investigation, and the teenager is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
The case has also drawn attention because of its striking similarities to the fictional world of film and series, where chemistry becomes central to a criminal storyline. But unlike the television series, this alleged incident has triggered a real investigation involving Pakistan's cybercrime authorities and the increasingly powerful role of AI in people's everyday lives.
