Committee chairman stresses need for taking feedback from media and civil society. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD: Lawmakers on Thursday underlined the need for protecting the fundamental rights of citizens in the proposed Prevention of Cyber Crimes Bill 2016 by ensuring that the law was not misused by the authorised persons and agencies.
Senators discussed amendments to the proposed bill in a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology, which was held under the chairmanship of Senator Shahi Syed.
The committee discussed two related bills including the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Bill 2016 and Protection of Cyber Crimes Bill 2016.
The cybercrime bill would have serious adverse implications if it was passed in haste and there was also a need to work on it to check the growing cybercrimes and protect the citizens against misuse of law by the authorities, said the senators.
“There is a need to curb growing cybercrimes, but at the same time, there is also a crucial need to check the misuse of this law against innocent people,” said Senator Farhatullah Babar while giving his recommendations.
“All stakeholders must be protected so that any clause of this bill is not misused; something that is common in Pakistan.”
At the same time, he said, inputs and recommendations of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) must be incorporated as media is a key stakeholder.
Social media users must be protected along with the electronic data and there should be an effective and transparent mechanism to tackle the misuse of powers by the investigators, he said.
Committee Chairman Shahi Syed said the bill must be prepared according to directives of the Senate chairman who had sought to take all the stakeholders on board.
“The interest of the country and the rights of citizens must have paramount importance while making this sensitive legislation,” he stated.
Syed further said the media, civil society and activists of the social media must be heard and their inputs incorporated into the law.
Minister of State for Information Technology and Telecommunication Anusha Rehman said the recommendations from all key stakeholders would be accepted wholeheartedly and included in the legislation.
Officials of the Ministry of Law told the committee steps had been taken to avoid misuse of the law. They pointed out that the forensic laboratory was also independent and its data could not be changed or amended. Moreover, the FIA could also countercheck results of the investigation.
Senator Karim Khawaja, the mover of the Protection of Cyber Crimes Bill as a private member, said Pakistan did not have experienced cybercrime professionals and help was sought from the US in that regard.
He said his private bill and the government bill on cybercrime must be put together to make an effective law.
Furthermore, PTI Senator Shibli Faraz said as per the bills, the authorised investigators were officers of the National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta) and not from the FIA, therefore, the representation of Nacta must be ensured in the next meeting to take its input.
He suggested that the government and civil society organisations should create awareness among people about the use of social media.
The committee also directed that representatives of the PFUJ should be invited in the next meeting to get their feedback on the proposed bill.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 22nd, 2016.
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