Staff Reporter
National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology & Telecommunication has decided to carryout post legislative scrutiny of laws related to cyber crimes.
The Committee observed that the laws needed to be reviewed in wake of increasing magnitude of the cyber crimes and the shortcomings/handicaps in the legal mechanism to address those complaints. The Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication met under the chairmanship Ali Khan Jadoon, MNA in Parliament House, Islamabad this morning. The Committee observed that the magnitude of the public complaints received by Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) related to cyber crimes had increased whereas the pace of resolution was very slow which either owe to the capacity issues of the investigating agency or the application of the law.
It also took serious note of the pace of investigation on complaints lodged by two members of the Committee with FIA regarding defamation and intrusion in their privacy by some individuals. The members of the committee had complained that they had to go through cumbersome process of complaint registration. It observed that if the Committee members being Parliamentarians had to go through those problems then what to think about civilian complainants.
The Committee directed FIA to submit updates on complaints both the MNAs to the Committee in its next meeting. The Committee also observed that Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016 was either not being implemented or required amendments to bring it in line with the present day requirements. The Committee decided to discuss establishment of concept of National Center on Cyber Crimes with Representation from HEC and AIR University in its next meeting. The Committee was apprised that National Center for Cyber Security, a joint R&D project of HEC and Planning Commission had already been established in Air University in 2018 and was amicably providing research with regards to cyber security.
It observed that the said Center was an R&D Center and the functions of Coordination and transfer of knowledge proposed in the National Center on Cyber Crimes were missing.
