FIA officials lack cybercrime knowledge: IHC

Agency registered a case for fight between two women on Facebook

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday chided a Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) representative for possessing inadequate knowledge of cybercrime laws. A single-member bench of IHC, comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah, heard a case pertaining to alleged fraud in funds of a non-governmental organisation (NGO) for the restoration of novel coronavirus affectees.

The petition was filed by Ramsha Khan against FIA for blocking her Facebook account. The court remarked that FIA registered a case over a fight between two women on Facebook, adding that who will perform the real duties if the agency will do such things. Chief Justice Minallah remarked that the agency blocked all accounts of the petitioner merely on an application and cut her off from the rest of the world.

He asked how many personnel of FIA cybercrime wing were given the related training. The court asked the FIA’s female official if they were even given basic training regarding cybercrime laws. She replied that a monthlong training was given to them. At this, chief justice wondered what would have been taught about a comprehensive law in a month. The female official informed the court that they received applications from two women including Ramsha and Sobia Sadia. She added that the women had a dispute over the establishment of an organisation for Coivd-19 and using donations.

The court summoned a report from FIA and adjourned the case for two weeks. Kutcheri attack case IHC sought answers from the law ministry as two suspects in the Sector F-8 Kutcheri attack case expressed reservations on two judges of antiterrorism courts (ATCs). Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Tayyab Shah appeared before the court on the petition filed by two suspects in the F-8 Kutcheri attack case on Monday.

The petitioners’ counsel told the bench that judges Raja Jawwad Abbas and Shahrukh Arjumand were part of the investigation teams in cases against them. Therefore, they demanded the IHC to stop both judges from hearing their cases in the ATC. The defence counsel called for moving the case to another court of Islamabad ATC. The court summoned an answer from the law and justice ministry and adjourned the case until December 7