The NA Committee is concerned about the increase in cybercrime complaints.
The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunications (ITT) has voiced grave worry over the increase in cybercrime allegations over the previous three years.
On Wednesday, the committee convened in this city, with Mir Khan Muhammad Jamali in the chair.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority briefed it on cybercrime, cyber security, and social media restrictions (PTA).
Members of the committee voiced grave worry over the recent increase in the number of cybercrime accusations.
They questioned the complaint registration procedure, the lack of professional staff to handle registered complaints, and the lack of up-to-date equipment for further examination of recorded concerns.
They advised the relevant departments to reconsider the work’s direction and rectify the communication gap that existed between them.
Members also voiced worry over negative social media propaganda and campaigns targeting politicians, journalists, and institutions, as well as harassment of elected officials and their families.
The members emphasised the necessity of personnel capacity enhancement in the FIA’s cybercrime department.
The committee asked the FIA to make ideas for improving the cybercrime wing’s performance and present them at the next meeting.
The committee suggested that the federal government take prompt action to hire permanent, qualified, and experienced officials in the Cyber Crime branch, as well as give the essential resources to this vital national institution.
The minutes of the Committee’s previous meetings, held on September 5, 2022, were unanimously accepted.
MNAs such as Malik Sohail Khan, Ali Gohar Khan, Ayesha Rajab Ali, Romina Khursheed Alam, Maiza Hameed, Mahesh Kumar Malani, Naz Baloch, Shamim Ara Panhwar, Syed Mehmood Shah, Salahuddin, and Javairia Zafar Aheer attended the conference.
The secretary and top officials from the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications, as well as senior officials from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, were also present at the meeting (PTA).
