Honey Trap and Cyber Exploitation: Legal Challenges and Protection under Pakistan Law

Abstract

The rapid expansion of digital communication and social media platforms has significantly transformed human interaction, but it has also created new opportunities for cyber exploitation. Among these emerging cybercrimes, honey trapping has become an increasingly concerning issue in Pakistan. Honey trapping refers to the use of fake emotional or romantic relationships to manipulate individuals for financial gain, blackmail, extortion, or the extraction of confidential information. Offenders commonly operate through social networking sites, messaging applications, and other online platforms where victims are emotionally targeted and deceived. This research examines the nature, methods, and legal implications of honey trap crimes within the Pakistani context. It critically evaluates the effectiveness of existing cybercrime laws, particularly the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016, along with relevant provisions of the Pakistan Penal Code. The study further explores the practical difficulties faced by law enforcement agencies in investigating and prosecuting such offences, including limited digital awareness, social stigma, underreporting of incidents, and gaps in legal enforcement. Using a doctrinal and qualitative research approach, the study relies on secondary sources such as statutes, case law, academic writings, legal reports, and scholarly articles. Comparative references to international cybercrime frameworks are also considered to identify better legal practices and possible reforms. The research aims to highlight weaknesses in the current legal structure and provide recommendations for improving victim protection, cyber awareness, and the overall enforcement mechanism against online exploitation. The study contributes to the growing body of legal scholarship on cybercrime in Pakistan by specifically focusing on honey trap offences, an area that has received limited academic attention. It also seeks to support policymakers, legal professionals, and law enforcement authorities in developing more effective strategies to combat digital exploitation and ensure safer online environments.