 Today we are going to look at cyber laws in Pakistan as internet and internet-related technologies, computer and computer-related technologies are everywhere around us and they are an essential part of our lives. It is only obvious that, you know, this cyber space or this digital life that, you know, we have at an individual level as well as at a professional level is vulnerable to various kinds of cyber crimes to the actions of various kinds of cyber thieves, you know, who create various kinds of mischief. So, when we have a constant threat of cyber crime, it is necessary to have effective cyber laws which can protect us and prevent these cyber crimes. Keeping up to these changing new times, Pakistan has also over the last two decades promulgated and then again revisited and promulgated improved kinds of cyber laws. In this lecture, we are going to look at the cyber laws which are currently implemented in Pakistan. However, before looking at them, we need to realize why these cyber laws are important. Well, cyber laws are important because we need to know that for our organization, which particular laws apply, which rules are there, how we accidentally do not break any law and how in case we are subjected or we are a victim to any kind of cyber mischief, what action we can take. This applies to us as professionals in our organization as well as it applies to us individually. Now, as I said earlier, Pakistan has over the last two decades promulgated different kinds of cyber laws. These laws not only deal with the crime of the internet, they also deal with other dimensions related to computers and computer related technology. Two of these cyber laws which have been implemented in Pakistan over the last two decades are the most well known ones. The first one are Electronic Transaction Ordinance 2002 and the second one is Electronic or Cyber Crime Bill 2007. Let us first look at the Electronic Transaction Ordinance 2002. Electronic Transaction Ordinance or ETO 2002 was the first ever IT relevant legislation created by our national law makers. One of the major things or advantages that it offered was that it provided for protection of Pakistani e-commerce locally and globally. Then it also provided for the protection of Pakistan's critical infrastructure. However, since ETO 2002 were the first cyber laws or first laws governing the internet and computer technologies in Pakistan, they were heavily taken from the foreign laws related to cyber crime. However, even then this was a breakthrough having ETO 2002 because before ETO 2002, there was no recognition of electronic documentation. There was no recognition of electronic records. There was no recognition of evidential basis of documents and records. It was not possible to authenticate or identify digital or electronic signatures or other forms of authentication which now seems to be an essential part of our day-to-day lives. Further, there was no online transaction system which had any kind of legal basis. Electronic data and forensic evidence was not covered by law. And further, there were actually no rules governing absolutely any kind of electronic or computer related aspects of our life. However, things improved post ETO 2002. The major changes which came about after ETO 2002 was promulgated was that electronic documentation and records were recognized. Electronic and digital forms of authentication and identification obtained a legal basis. Messages through email, fax, mobile phones, plastic cards, as well as online messages were now recognized. ETO 2002 had 43 sections and the most notable thing was that it dealt with eight areas related to e-commerce which included that it recognized electronic documents, it recognized electronic communication, it recognized the presence of websites. Further, it covered digital signature certification providers, it covered stamp duty, attestation, it had detailed jurisdiction, it had details on the offenses. Now, we are going to look at some of the cyber crimes which were covered by ETO 2002. And just as an example to have an idea that which crimes were covered under it and what penalties or punishments existed for those violating these cyber laws. First and foremost, it covered the violation of private or privacy information. And anybody who was you know who was like breaking this or who was trying to you know gain any information system through a breach of privacy could receive an imprisonment of seven years or a fine up to rupees 1 million. Further, it covered any damages that may occur to information system. So, if there was anybody who was trying to alter, modify, delete, remove, generate, transmit or store information such that it was causing a hindrance or it was causing a damage to the information system whether it was done you know knowingly or unknowingly. This could lead to an imprisonment of seven years and a fine of up to rupees 1 million. The offenses under ETO 2002 you know were non-bailable, compoundable and cognisable. No court inferior to the court of session shall try any offense under ETO 2002. While ETO 2002 was revolutionary in its own nature because this was the first time that any law was promulgated in Pakistan which was covering the cyber world or the cyber space and improvement over ETO 2002 came in the form of electronic and cyber crime bill of 2007. The 2007 bill you know known as prevention of electronic crimes ordinance came into force and was promulgated by the President or President of Pakistan on 31st December 2007. This bill dealt with additional electronic crimes which included cyber terrorism, data damage, electronic fraud, electronic forgery, unauthorized access to code, cyber stalking, cyber spamming and cyber spoofing. Electronic crime bill 2007 applied to every person who commits an offense irrespective of his nationality or citizenship. It gives exclusive powers to the federal investigation agency FIA to investigate and charge cases against such crimes. Now just looking at some of the punishments which were included in the electronic or cyber crime bill of 2007, every respective offense under this law has its distinguished punishment which can lead to an imprisonment or to a fine. For instance, data damage. Whoever with intent to illegal gain or you know it causes harm to the public or any person damages any data shall come under this section of data damage and may receive if guilty may receive a punishment up to three years and a fine of three lakh. Similarly, electronic fraud is also covered under the electronic crime bill of 2007. Whoever people who get illegal gains by using data, electronic system or device and it is done with an intent to deceive any other person you know receive a punishment under the electronic crime bill 2007 of up to seven years imprisonment and seven lakh rupees of fine. Then electronic forgery which was previously and initially not covered was also covered under the electronic crime bill of 2007. Whoever for unlawful gain interferes with data, electronic system or device with an intent to cause harm or to commit fraud by any input alteration or suppression of data resulting in unauthentic data that it is considered or acted upon for legal purposes or in a nutshell is committing any kind of an electronic forgery can receive a punishment of seven years imprisonment and seven lakh rupees of fine. Similarly, malicious code whoever willfully writes, offers, makes available, distributes or transmits malicious code through an electronic system or device which may cause further harm is also liable to receive a punishment of five years imprisonment of five lakh rupees of fine. Likewise, another crime which is something individuals in normal ordinary individuals, university going students, faculty members are often you know they experience a crime called cyber stalking. Celebrities we see are often subjected to cyber stalking where you know somebody harasses a person or follows them or monitors their movement you know such activities come under cyber stalking they can distribute your photos or your pictures without your knowledge or consent or can actually you know infringe on your private space. Such kind of cyber stalking was also covered under electronic crime bill of 2007 and is punishable by three years imprisonment and three lakh rupees of fine. Similarly, spamming where you know illegal electronic messages are sent to several people without any permission of the recipient is also punishable by six months imprisonment and fifty thousand rupees of fine. Spoofing where you know you establish a website or sent an electronic message with a fake source you know to be believed by the recipient or visitor or its electronic system is also likely to result in an imprisonment of three years and a fine of rupees three lakh. So there are several offenses which are covered by you know the electronic or cyber crime bill 2007 and each one has its resulting imprisonment or a resulting fine with the most notable one being that cyber terrorism is you know you are likely to receive a lifetime imprisonment or up to ten million rupees in fine if you are found guilty of cyber terrorism. Similarly, another notable cyber crime a pornography was also covered under this cyber crime bill 2007 where a person is likely to get a punishment of up to ten years if found guilty.