Abstract
Advancement in technology has facilitated humans in various ways. However, the phenomenon has negative strain, too, in the form of weaponry and transport and communication technologies that have accelerated the momentum and broadened the spectrum of terrorist activities. Kidnappings, bomb blasts, vandalisms, target killings, physical harassments, etc. are a few of the various bad practices a racket or terrorist organization resorts to, to satisfy its thirst for blood and money. Some even resort to making extortion demands and threat calls to raise their finances and spread terror, respectively. These activities have become difficult to trace with the use of burner phones, outstation phone calls, and calls from unregistered service identity module (SIMs). Given this scenario, the proposed Joint Public Safety Cell app is intended to assist the general public in efficient registration of a complaint, and keeping updates of security forcers' action on their complaint. Details of JPSC app have been discussed in the chapter.
TopBackground
On May 24, 2018, a resident of South Waziristan, Abdullah, lost his life at refusal to pay extortion money to Riaz, another resident of South Waziristan. Local administration is probing the case and has arrested Riaz after confirmation of the pattern of Abdullah’s murder (PT, 2018).
On May 26, 2018, another extortion-related story surfaced in Karachi involving alleged involvement of a station house officer (SHO) and two constables in extortion racket. The three officials were subsequently suspended by Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Karachi. An inquiry is being conducted into the matter. A case has also been registered against the accused under Sections 385, 34 and 386 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and 7-ATA (PT, 2018).
According to police officials, around 70 per cent people, threatened by militants, pay up extortion money without informing any law-enforcement agency. The 30 per cent who show courage to contact law enforcers and take them into confidence, usually do so at second or third extortion demand after having paid up the money once (Ahmad R., 2017). Reports suggest extorting money through threats over phone is one of the major sources of militants or terrorists for inflow of funds.
Similarly threat calls that may not have a connection with extortion demands and may well be called criminal intimidation are another regular mechanism of terrorizing influential members of general public. Such murder and rape threats are routinely directed at lawyers, journalists, social reformers, human rights activists, and conscientious politicians (Something rare in the case of the latter!).
Key Terms in this Chapter
JPSC KP: It is an android application Joint Public Safety Cell to control threats and extortion in Khyber Pakhtoon Khwa, Pakistan.
Report Khyberpakhtunkhwa (KP) Police: A crime FIR lodged with KPK police.
Extortion: Is a criminal offense of obtaining money, property, or services from an individual.
Human Right App: Those applications which are used for protection of human rights.
Protection Money: Money paid to secure protection.
Extortionists: Is the illegal use of one's official position or powers to obtain property, funds, or patronage.
Kidnapping: The unlawful act of capturing and carrying away a person against their will and holding them in false imprisonment.
JPSC: Joint Public Safety Cell is the combined effort between Pakistan Army and Khyber Pakhtoon Khwa (KP) Police departments to controls threats call and extortions.
Threat Call: A warning call from terrorists.
App User: End user, which runs this application on a mobile phone, with personal interest.
Incident Complaint: A complaint to security organization from terrorist activities.
Threat Call Report: A threat call FIR lodged to police department.
FIR: First information report, report a crime to police.