ISLAMABAD, July 28: The government is working on a security project to eavesdrop on computer communications by suspected criminals and allow its use for prosecution in court of law.

Sources said the Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the country are coordinating with the law enforcement agencies for tracking internet communications.

Major ISPs were directed to install technology in their networks which would help officials record and read emails of investigation targets.

Sources said the first Information Technology law of the country was recently approved by the federal cabinet which, among other things, gives legal cover to digital signatures and electronic transactions. The law would provide for the acceptance of electronic documents including email in legal proceedings, sources said.

Sources said a number of technologies are available, whereby, software could be used that records keystrokes typed into a the computer to obtain passwords and read encrypted email and other documents as part of investigations.

The programmes currently in use do not make it necessary to physically access the target computers but simple email or other remote methods could be used for installing spying technology, experts said.

In reply to a question how would it be proved that a particular message was given by an individual target, sources said, the requirement under any law for signatures in electronic communication would be deemed satisfied where electronic signatures are used.

Moreover, sources said, the requirement under any law for retention or presentation of information in original form can be met more easily in the case of computers which ensure that the authenticity and integrity of the information is preserved in electronic files recoverable after applying security procedures.

Under the new law, the investigating agencies would be empowered to use computers as a source of clues in almost any investigation.

A flourishing market in forensic software is now offering programmes that can search files for particular words and phrases and dig out any that the owner may believe to have overwritten or deleted.

Sources said, when a file is deleted, or even when the hard disc is reformatted, the only things the operating system usually erases are file names and any pointers to the location of the data on the disc. So, the data remains and is perfectly visible to those with the right tools.

The approved IT law, sources said, has multi-dimensional implications on all sectors of the economy and international trade and commerce through Pakistan. It is likely to affect some 150 existing laws of the country which would have to be amended to incorporate the provisions of the new IT law, sources added.