Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Tuesday disclosed that reported cybercrimes, specially the harassment and blackmailing of women, have seen a surge during the ongoing year, hitting a record high number of cases brought to agency’s notice.
The FIA said that its cybercrime wing has so far conducted 2,295 inquiries, registered 255 cases and have arrested 209 people in 2018 so far, which is the highest since the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016 was passed.
The corresponding figures for 2017 were 1,290 inquiries, 207 cases registered and 160 arrests made, whereas figures for 2016 stood at 514, 47 and 49.
The FIA admitted that cybercrimes are on the rise in Pakistan but added that “the government’s recent measure to establish 15 new cybercrime reporting centres” will help control the situation.
In June, FIA Cybercrimes Director Captain (r) Mohammad Shoaib had told a Senate standing committee that the agency only has 10 experts to investigate cyber crimes in the country.