E-Panorama

(For PC World Pakistan)

CPLC Asks to Have PECO Law Revoked

The Citizen’s Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) Chief, wrote a letter to the Federal Law, Justice & Parliamentary Affairs Minister stating that cyber crimes have been on the rise in Pakistan ever since the Prevention of Electronic Crime Ordinance (PECO) Law lapsed in 2010. The absence of any relevant law in this regard has ensured that law enforcement agencies are helpless and unable to take any legal action against cyber criminals. Despite regularly receiving many complaints regarding fake calls that aim to deceive citizens into receiving a phony prize, misleading text messages, threats and harassment through mobile phone calls and messages etc, CPLC is helpless to take any legalized action. The CPLC Chief now asked the federal minister to revoke the PECO law so that modern telecommunication networks such as internet and mobile phones are no longer used for criminal purposes.

Mobilink Launches HTC Explorer

In a continuation of its recent trend of launching Smartphones and related products, Mobilink Indigo announced the launch of the HTC Explorer. The HTC Explorer weighs only 108 grams, is of a convenient size, and is based on the Android 2.3 OS. It also has an intuitive, one-touch interface that allows users to jump to emails, messages or run their favorite apps easily. It has a 3.2-inch HVGA (480 x 320) display and 600MHz processor and has access to thousands of the Android applications. It also has built-in smart URL prediction and auto-correction. The Smartphone is available for only Rs. 15,999/- and comes with free of cost three months of unlimited Mobilink Mobile Internet and a leather pouch!

NADRA Goes Digital with Voter’s Registration

With elections so near, many political parties are using technology, in the form of social media websites and mobile phones to contact potential voters. The most recent of these to date was Imran Khan’s spam calling and texting voters to invite them to attend his Jalsa in Karachi. Now, the National Database & Registration Authority, NADRA, has also developed an SMS based service application to facilitate citizens. The application will allow CNIC holders to verify their vote registration and particulars in the voters’ list. As of now, three of Pakistan’s cellular operators Ufone, Warid and Telenor have offered their platforms for NADRA’s use. They have done this in the best interests of the nation. In this regard, NADRA and ECP have already signed agreements with the above-mentioned operators. Via this service, senders will send their CNIC number to a short code and will subsequently receive a message in Urdu, confirming their registration as voter. It will also indicate the electoral area where the voter has been registered along with the voter’s serial number in electoral rolls. Further details will be forthcoming.

Two apps to counter the sexual offence against women

After the Harras Map launched in Egypt, another app, Fight Back has been launched in India to help working Indian women ‘fight back’ against sexual assault attempts. The app enables women to inform their families about their location on a map through GPS. The aim of this particular application, which costs $1.9 only, is to help combat the rising sexual assault cases in the streets of Indian capital, Delhi. Using this app, women can inform their families about their location at any time. The application will send GPS coordinates to family members informing them of the whereabouts of the user. The application developers are planning on launching the application in the local languages of India also. Considering the rising cases of women’s harassment in Pakistan also, such apps, which help to promote and protect women’s rights would be most welcome in the country also so that Pakistani women can lead safer lives also!