E-devices in focus after Lebanon pager blasts

Senate panel mulls steps for e-devices' security

ISLAMABAD:

The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication (IT & Telecom) has discussed security issues related to electronic devices in the country in the wake of pager explosions in Lebanon by Israel in September this year.

During a meeting chaired by Palwasha Muhammadzai the other day, the committee decided to hold further consultation to prepare the final version of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Bill for the promotion of this latest technology in Pakistan by December 31, 2024.

The objective of the meeting was to strengthen Pakistan's digital policy framework and counter the threats of modern technology in view of national security. During the meeting, committee member Dr Afnanullah Khan referred to the recent explosions in electronic devices in Lebanon and Syria.

Dr Khan drew attention of the committee towards the need for comprehensive security measures in Pakistan. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) chairman said detection of explosives in electronic devices was not included in the scope of his organisation.

However, he added, according to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) 2016 and the National Cyber Security Policy 2021, the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) Rules had mandated the establishment of Digital Forensic as well as Screening and Evaluation Labs.

The committee chair sought a briefing from the head of the Digital Forensic Lab in the next meeting to shed light on the security risks related to electronic devices and measures to remedy them. The chair also directed the formation of a national fiberisation policy to ensure sustainability of the telecom networks.

Important legislative matters, including the Personal Data Protection Bill 2023 and the AI Bill 2024, were discussed in the meeting. During a briefing on the Personal Data Protection Bill, the committee was informed that it had been modelled after the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

The aim of the bill was to secure citizens' data in the digital age, officials said, adding that several amendments had been made after consulting government bodies, industry experts, and global platforms. The IT Ministry published a revised draft on its website in May 2023.