‘Investigations in criminal cases require relevant data, cross-checking facts’

Karachi University acting vice chancellor Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi, addressing a group of trainee officers, prosecutors and investigation officers of the police department and the judiciary on Wednesday, underscored the importance of skill development and human resource development.

He spoke about the importance of digital forensics and its use in the contemporary industry, and informed the participants that collecting relevant data and cross-checking facts collected during investigation were very important to solve any case.

The law enforcement agencies could investigate cases more quickly if they got help from digital forensic experts, Dr Iraqi said while speaking at a workshop, which was organised at the request of the Sindh Judicial Academy.

The workshop on digital forensics, financial and cybercrime was organised at the Center of Digital Forensic Science and Technology, KU. A group of 25 trainee officers, prosecutors, and investigation officers attended the session.

Earlier, Dr Qamar, the honorary director of the Centre of Digital Forensic Science and Technology, emphasised the need for the use and the importance of digital forensics and cell phone forensics to search for the real criminals.

The former chairman of the Department of Computer Science, KU, Professor Dr Aaqil Burney, spoke about the importance of big data and the use of data in forensics investigations. Centre of Digital Forensic Science and Technology advisory committee member Syed Irfan Hussain Zaidi briefed the audience on financial crime and financial terrorism. He also shed light on how and from where to start investigations on financial crime cases.

He described the different classification of financial crimes like frauds, electronic crime, money laundering, terrorism financing, bribery, corruption, information security and tax evasion. Later, network security expert Muhammad Munaaf defined the latest trends in cybercrime. He briefed the audience about the use of pirated software and the risks associated. He also described the new trends of cybercrime like the ransomware that struck the K-Electric and the Sindh Police lately.