Public Hearing of E-Crime Law – P@SHA Advocacy Efforts Start Reaping Benefits

P@SHA President Jehan Ara at the Pakistan IT & ITES Sector Business Agenda launch event in October 2009. (photo: CIPE)
P@SHA President Jehan Ara speaking at the Pakistan IT & ITES Sector Business Agenda launch event in October 2009. (photo: CIPE)

CIPE has been supporting advocacy efforts of the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA). As a result of over 18 months of consultative efforts by P@SHA, legislative issues hampering the growth of the Information Technology (IT) and Information Technology Enabled Services (ITES) sector in Pakistan were identified. On October 5th, 2009, this process led P@SHA to prepare and launch the IT & ITES Sector Business Agenda for Pakistan.

In a recent meeting with P@SHA, its President Ms Jehan Ara informed the CIPE team that e-crime ordinance (identified by P@SHA as a problematic law), which was presented for debate at the National Assembly, was sent back to the Federal Committee for public opinion by Prime Minister Gillani. According to P@SHA, the Prime Minister said that he had heard that people had reservations about the E-Crime Ordinance and that he himself did as well. That is why he was sending it back to the Federal Committee and for public feedback.

Ms Ara commented:

“To a large extent, modifications to the legislative climate will go a long way in supporting other changes necessary to leverage the full potential of this business sector. For this reason, it has been given priority. The other recommendations, many of which have an impact beyond the IT sector, take on an urgency given the rapid rate with which the IT and ITES business sector is growing world-wide and its potential impact across all aspects of society.”

Interviews with President and Chairman P@SHA, and others can be watched at: http://webstudio.ciopakistan.com/2009/10/cipeandpash/

Published Date: January 07, 2010