Revamping Cybercrime Laws In Pakistan: A Comparative Analysis Of Pakistan And United Kingdom

Abstract

In this modern era the global connectivity has touched the horizon and abolished the digital borders across the globe. All the human beings have easy access to the online social platforms, whereby they interact with fellow beings. Similarly, most of the routine manual work is digitalized and put online. At one side it has advanced the daily business, on the other hand all the activities and data remains at risk of cyber-attacks.

A criminal act in which an Android device, window device, a network of computer and a computer is used and targeted for an offence act is termed as cybercrime. It also refers to illegal access to social media, email and similar platforms of an individual or other legal entity. Cybercrimes includes fraud of internet and email, fraud of identity, financial theft, theft of data for payment of card, cyber-extortion, cyberstalking, spamming, cyberterrorism, online harassment, child pornography, theft and sale of corporate data, scams of phishing, spoofing of websites, ransomware, malware, hacking of IOT etc.

Pakistan being one of the top populous countries in the world having in use of large internet accessibility. The Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016 (PECA, 2016) is the relevant law relating to cybercrimes in Pakistan. The United Kingdom is one of the developed countries in the world. Use of internet is backbone of governance system of UK. UK has effected very comprehensive legislation relating to cybercrimes. The main codified cybersecurity laws are the Computer Misuse Act, 1990 (CMA, 1990), while other relevant cybersecurity laws include, the, Police and Justice Act, 2006, Serious Crime Act 2015, Communication Act 2003.

This research  article analyzed cybercrime laws and its implementation mechanism with special reference to Pakistan and United Kingdom. Cybercrime laws and implementation mechanisms of the UK are comparatively analyzed with cybersecurity laws and implementation machinery of Pakistan.  Major deficiencies are highlighted in cybersecurity laws and its implementation machinery of Pakistan and fruitful suggestions are provided for codification of cybersecurity laws, its effective implementation and eradication of cybercrimes in light of comparison of cybersecurity laws and implementation system of UK.