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The Senate Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control on Monday approved amendments to (PECA) The Prevention of Electronic Crime Act (Amendment) Bill, 2025, while expressing strong concern over law and order issues, data protection, and the absence of senior police officials from Sindh.
The meeting, chaired by Senator Faisal Saleem Rehman, opened with criticism of the Sindh Police for failing to arrest suspects involved in the murder of the brother and nephew of Senator Muhammad Aslam Abro. The committee noted with displeasure that the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sindh did not attend the session despite the seriousness of the matter.
Members also discussed the continued presence of dacoit gangs in the Katcha area of Sindh, calling the situation alarming. Officials informed the committee that joint operations were underway involving Sindh and Balochistan Police. The chairman directed authorities to ensure the immediate arrest of those responsible and warned that failure to submit a timely report would place responsibility on the concerned IGP.
During the session, the committee took up The Prevention of Electronic Crime (Amendment) Bill, 2025. With no objections raised by the Ministry of Interior, the amendments were approved. The committee also passed The Islamabad Capital Territory (Prohibition of Plastic Book Covers) Bill, 2025, with the chairman welcoming the move as a step toward environmental protection.
However, the absence of the IGP Sindh again drew sharp criticism, leading Senator Danesh Kumar, the mover of one of the agenda items, to leave the meeting in protest.
The committee was also briefed by officials from NADRA and the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports on issues related to identity theft and misuse of personal data. While authorities maintained that no data breaches had occurred following security upgrades introduced after 2023, the committee expressed concern over reports of Pakistani citizens’ data being sold on the dark web. Directions were issued to further strengthen cybersecurity safeguards.
In a separate briefing, members were informed that investigations into the murder of the son of Mian Adil Rasheed, Patron-in-Chief of the Central Group of Colleges, had been completed and the accused arrested. The committee appreciated the efforts of the Punjab Police and sought regular updates on the case.
Concerns were also raised over the blocking of Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs). The committee instructed relevant departments to facilitate affected individuals through district-level committees for verification and resolution under existing policies.
The Director General of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency briefed the committee on the rise in WhatsApp hacking cases across the country. Members were told that the agency is expanding its capacity to address cybercrime. The chairman cautioned that social media platforms failing to comply with Pakistani laws could face restrictions or bans.
Briefings were also given on vehicle e-tagging and m-tagging, as well as household surveys in Islamabad. The committee expressed reservations about the collection of sensitive personal data and directed authorities to ensure strict data protection measures.
Taking notice of the theft of 2,828 cartons of cigarettes from Federal Board of Revenue warehouses in Swabi and Mardan, the committee ordered the formation of a sub-committee to investigate the matter. Senator Saifullah Abro was appointed to head the body, with Senators Umer Farooq and Talha Mehmood as members.
The committee further recommended that arms licenses should not be issued to non-taxpayers and instructed the Ministry of Interior to enforce the policy strictly.
The meeting was attended by several senators, including members of the committee and movers of various agenda items, along with officials from relevant ministries and departments.
