PESHAWAR: The Khyber-Pukhtunkhwa (K-P) government has ordered the collection of data from internet cafes in the province, Express News reported on Saturday.
The K-P home ministry wrote to the Inspector General Police (IGP) of K-P asking him to keep records of internet cafe users and recommended the installation of hidden security cameras in these cafes.
This was done after the home ministry received reports of a rise in threatening emails regarding extortion and kidnapping for ransom in the province.
Owners of the internet cafes said that they do not have the required resources to install security cameras. After receiving data of internet cafes from the home ministry, the Police began an investigation into their activities.
On October 4, internet freedom groups and activists had expressed anger and disbelief at the Sindh government’s proposal to ban messaging apps including Skype, Viber and WhatsApp for three months as a security measure.
On October 3, the Sindh government had decided to ban instant messaging and voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) clients during a meeting between Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah and other officials including the additional IG Karachi, DG Rangers and representatives of intelligence agencies.
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had said that the federal government had taken no decision on the Sindh government’s stance on the ban.
The interior minister while condemning the ban said that he was against the move, adding that he will go through the Sindh government’s application in favour of the ban to see how much weight it carries.
He said that upon taking charge as interior minister he had also disallowed the suspension of mobile services.
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