PAKISTAN : CYBER HARASSMENT CASES : MULTIPLY

PAKISTAN : Internet usage on the country up 200 percent during the pandemic.

A manifold increase in the use of Internet during the coronavirus pandemic has also resulted in a rise of cyber crimes, including harassment of women.

According to the sources in the Federal Investigation Agency [FIA], Internet usage in the country has increased by about 200 percent during the pandemic.

The sources said the FIA Cybercrime Wing has received double women harassment and cybercrime applications this year as compared to last year.

About 8,000 applications about harassment of women were received last year, while about 16,000 have been received so far this year.

About 2,000 of the complaints have been investigated, while investigations into the rest is underway. About 300 cases have been registered in two years.

Many social media groups are full of ''leaked'' objectionable pictures and videos of women. They are used for blackmailing and extortion by criminals. Fake pictures and video clips of prominent women are also common on the social media.

There are also a lot of immotral pictures and videos of housewives, show biz stars, political leaders, Ticktokers, and other women on social media.

In recent years, WhatsApp groups have also been used to share such content.

According to the investigators, the women falling victim to such harassment include those who share their intimate pictures during a relationship and -

And  are threatened after a breakup, whose saved pictures and videos in their mobile phones  are stolen during repair and those whose video chats are recorded.

The women who paid the blackmailers mostly did not escape harassment for long.

The World Students Society thanks author Saqib Butt/Lahore, Pakistan.