Government to Establish National Cyber Crime Agency:


Government to Establish National Cyber Crime Agency
The  Pakistan government recently established the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) to tackle the growing cybercrime problem across the country. The new agency will take over the duties previously held by the Cyber Crime Wing of the disbanded Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).  NCCIA is mandated to investigate electronic crimes under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA)  2016. The agency is headed by a Director, who must be at least  21 years of age and not older than 63 years of age. The government intends to strengthen the resources and capabilities of the agency by equipping it with its own infrastructure, forensic science laboratories, and a dedicated workforce. The FIA is expected to improve the handling of cybercrime cases by addressing deficiencies faced by the FIA's Cybercrime Wing, especially in terms of resources and expertise. The creation of the NCCIA has sparked controversy, with some  critics questioning the need for a new agency when the existing framework could have been improved. There are also concerns that the creation of the agency could lead to greater government control over social media and other digital platforms, restricting freedom of expression. The NCCIA will be fully operational once key personnel are appointed and  will handle all existing cases transferred from the FIA's Cybercrime Wing.