Experts highlight threats to cyberspace

Minister, however, insists ICT development activities should continue

ISLAMABAD: As the country is moving towards an era of e-commerce and information and communication technology (ICT), stakeholders should be aware of potential risks to the cyberspace while continuing to manipulate online opportunities for the wellbeing of society, said experts while sharing their views at a workshop.

Commonwealth Telecommunication Organisation (CTO) arranged the workshop on “Tackling cybercrime in the telecommunications sector in Pakistan” with support from the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecom.



CTO is mandated to assist 53 member countries of the Commonwealth in tapping all forms of ICTs for socio-economic development. The workshop was part of capacity-building activities for the member countries and focused on subjects like global cybercrime landscape, legal responses to cybercrime, data protection, etc.

UK High Commissioner to Pakistan Thomas Drew emphasised the need for collaboration to tackle cybercrime. While acknowledging technological advancements in ICT, he pointed to the potential threats arising out of increasing reliance on cyberspace.

Minister of State for IT and Telecom Anusha Rahman highlighted that Pakistan had promulgated Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) in 2016 which made many online crimes cognisable.

She particularly referred to child protection online, saying users of cyberspace should have the same rights and protection as were available offline.

The minister acknowledged the increasing misuse of cyberspace for criminal acts, however, she was of the view that development activities in ICTs should continue to grow.



She also highlighted significant projects that the ministry had undertaken for the benefit of the society, particularly ICT infrastructure development in Balochistan and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), including the social uplift of girls through the ‘ICT for Girls’ programme.

Under this project, young girls of 226 schools of Islamabad are being trained in coding and cloud computing. 

Published in The Express Tribune, March 17^th, 2018.

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