'FIA can’t trace social media accounts'

Official says no complaint received over Ehsan’s threat to Bilawal

ISLAMABAD:

The Cyber Crime Wing of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Thursday informed a National Assembly committee that it was unable to trace social media account holders because the companies like Facebook and Twitter did not share user data.

During a meeting of a subcommittee of the house Standing Committee on Law and Justice, FIA Director for Cyber Crime Waqar Chauhan said that he had not received any complaint regarding Taliban militant Ehsanullah Ehsan’s threat to Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

The issue was raised in the subcommittee meeting by its member Nafeesa Shah. “When the report was published in the newspapers, why didn’t you take action?” she asked the FIA official. Chauhan replied that the FIA could not take action on its own. “Action can only be taken on receiving a complaint.”

He said that no social media platform, including Twitter and Facebook, shared the user data. “IP addresses are shared only in cases of child abuse, death threats or uploading of immoral images,” he said, adding that he was not in a position to say whether or not Ehsan’s Twitter account was real.

Earlier, the FIA director informed the committee that there were 15 stations for dealing with cybercrimes. “We need more cybercrime stations across the country,” he said. He added that some suspects could not be prosecuted because of the lack of legislation.

The convener of the committee, Sher Ali Arbab, criticised the working of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). He said that shutting down platforms, like PubG, would not serve any purpose. Nafisa Shah said that banning Bigo was also beyond comprehension.

Chauhan told the committee that no organisation in Pakistan could trace Facebook and Twitter accounts. “Many IP addresses used proxy servers,” he added. “On many occasions posts are uploaded from abroad.”

The FIA director said that the user, who made the first post, fell into the category of criminal. However, he added that they traced an uploader who uploaded a post against a female senator but could not make arrest. “If there is no punishable offense, the inquiry can be made only with the permission of the court.”

Arbab said that the Electronic Crimes Act needed to be scrutinised, adding that amendments to the laws must be made keeping in view all aspects, including human rights. The committee directed the FIA to submit a report on the difficulties encountered in the implementation of the Electronic Crimes Act in the next meeting.