SIALKOT: Exporters have demanded early establishment of a special counter of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) at Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) for submission of their cyber crime complaints.

Talking to newsmen here on Thursday at the chamber, SCCI Committee on Media and Cyber Crime Chairman Umer Khalid said international hackers were targeting businesses, small and medium enterprises and exporters.

He said the incidence of cyber crime was on the rise here in Sialkot due to lack of advanced cyber security skills.

Complaints about hacking on the rise

He stressed the exporters to upgrade their cyber security systems besides adopting advanced information technology (IT) skills to avert [cyber] crimes.

He said exporters hit by hacking had to go to FIA offices in Gujranwala and Lahore; “therefore, the establishment of a cyber crime counter at SCCI is the need of the hour.”

Meanwhile, SCCI Cyber Crime/Media Committee Secretary Salman Mir told newsmen that as many as 50 cases [of cyber crime] were reported to the chamber by exporters during 2018. “This number may be more as several victims were reluctant to report their cases to the chamber.”

TRAFFICKERS HELD: The Federal Investigation Agency on Thursday arrested four suspected human traffickers Mushtaq, Samiullah at Sialkot district and Imtiaz Ahmed and Tariq Mehmood at Narowal.

According to FIA Divisional Deputy Director Mufakhar Adeel, the suspects were allegedly involved in sending locals abroad especially Greece, Turkey and other European countries illegally after getting hefty amounts from them.

The FIA arrested 10 Pakistanis deported from Turkey upon their arrival at Sialkot international airport. They were sent behind bars after registration of cases against them.

HELPLINE: Deputy Commissioner Dr Syed Bilal Haider says the administration will soon launch a toll free helpline in Sialkot for public complaints.

He said the people could submit their online complaints regarding cleanliness services in and around the Sialkot city through mobile phone app “Salaam Sialkot.”

The DC directed the municipal corporation and Sialkot Waste Management Company (SWMC) to improve cleanliness.

SEMINAR: Surgical Instruments Manufacturers Association of Pakistan (SIMAP) on Thursday organised a seminar to raise awareness about information technology.

Pakistan surgical industry’s leader Muhammad Jehangir Bajwa and Chairman SIMAP Khalilur Rehman Mughal jointly presided over the event. A number of surgical instruments’ manufacturers and exporters attended.

Experts stressed the need for early upgradation and modernisation of the surgical industry besides urging the exporters to adopt advanced manufacturing technology to meet the global trade challenges.

Published in Dawn, December 28th, 2018