The sentence of two years in prison and a fine of Rs. 50,000 has been handed down in Faisalabad to a man who shared child pornography on WhatsApp. In 2021, Asif Mehmood Raza was found guilty of distributing indecent material relating to children through various WhatsApp groups.
An international organisation lodged a complaint against Raza with the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Cyber Crime Circle in Faisalabad, which then opened an investigation under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). The Faisalabad Cyber Crime FIA was represented in court by Sajid Sohail Ranjha, the Legal Assistant Director.
With over 20 arrests made in Lahore, Multan, Gujranwala, Sheikhupura, and Rawalpindi this year alone, the case is just one of many in Punjab. An investigation found that child pornography, streaming videos, and extortion were all used to generate millions of rupees in several Punjabi cities.
In the course of the operation, aphrodisiacs and other items were taken from those who had been detained, along with pornographic videos and images of children, women, and men.
The investigation revealed that kids were targeted while playing online games, and after being tricked into befriending someone, their lewd video clips were recorded.
To entice students from different private colleges and universities in Lahore, Gujrat, and Multan to join the groups, strategies like private parties, group study, and modelling were used.
Due to the threat of libel and blackmail, many victims’ families, however, refused to cooperate with the investigation.
The FIA’s inability to address the issue has been brought to light by the rise in cybercrime. In order to give the FIA the tools it needs to stop cybercrime and hold offenders accountable, the government must make investments in the organisation.
We must take all necessary precautions to safeguard children from the negative effects of cybercrime because it is a serious issue that cannot be ignored.
