ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Defence on Monday emphasized the need to tackle offences which were usually committed on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc.

The committee meeting was held under the Chairmanship of MNA Amjid Ali Khan, here said a news release.

The Director, FIA (Cyber Crime) informed the Committee that these social media companies were mostly based in United States and the Government of Pakistan was facing problems in receiving data of the real culprits due to non-signatory of the MLAT treaty.

The Director, FIA (Cyber Crime) also provided the helpline numbers (1991, 051-9106384, 9106690-2) for general public to lodge complaints against all the Cyber Crime related issues.

While briefing the committee, Special Secretary, Ministry of Interior informed the Committee that a preparatory meeting regarding Cyber Crime related issues was held in the Interior Ministry on 13th August, 2020 under the Chairmanship of Additional Secretary, Interior.

He also informed that a Coordination Committee was notified under the Chairmanship of Joint Secretary (FIA), Ministry of Interior and first meeting of the said Committee was held on 6th October, 2020 to discuss the recommendations and proposals regarding amendments in Prevention of Electronic Crime Act (PECA), 2016.

He added that a compressive report would be presented before the Committee in its meeting.

The Committee observed that there was a lack of coordination among institutions regarding Cyber Crimes and other issues at the Federal and Provincial levels and directed the Ministry of Interior to come up with the way forward on the said issues.

The meeting was attended by MNAs Tahir Sadiq, Syed Faiz-ul-Hassan, Jamil Ahmed Khan, Kanwal Shauzab, Dr. Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, Rubina Irfan, Riazul Haq, Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada, and others besides senior officers from M/o Defence, M/o Interior, M/o IT&Telecom, NACTA, PTA and FIA.