Cybercrime soars 83% in 3 years, NA panel told

ISLAMABD:

The National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication on Wednesday directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to present proposals in the next meeting for improving its cyber wing performance after it was informed that cybercrime soared by 83% in the last three years.

The panel which met here with Mir Khan Muhammad Jamali in the chair expressed grave concern over the negative propaganda and campaigns being run against politicians, journalists and institutions on social media and harassment of elected representatives and their families.

The committee emphasised on the capacity-building of the staff working in the FIA cybercrime wing, recommending that the federal government should take immediate steps to appoint permanent, competent and experienced officers in the cybercrime wing and ensure provision of all necessary resources.

During the meeting, MNA Javeria Zafar expressed serious concern over the system of the cybercrime, saying that criminals are called, intimidated and then released.

An FIA official said, “Child pornography is punishable by life imprisonment, while blasphemy cases by death.”