ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology (IT) is scheduled to meet with stakeholders on Friday for a public hearing on the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Bill (PECB), 2015.

Following intense criticism of the version of the PECB that was passed by the committee, it’s chairman retired Capt Mohammad Safdar relented on Wednesday to grant stakeholders one last chance to get their concerns addressed and invited around half a dozen individuals to the committee for a hearing.

According to the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of IT industry representatives, the stakeholders would include activist and columnist Gul Bukhari, Mobilink Senior Manager Syed Wajid, Bolo Bhi’s Fareeha Idrees, Abdul Qayyum Kundi and Bahria University Assistant Professor Nadia Khadam. Mr Idrees will be attending on behalf of the entire JAC.

However, Syed Ahmed of the Pakistan Software Houses Association (PASHA) told Dawn, “Six to seven members do not represent the entire IT industry. The meeting should be more inclusive and more people should be allowed to express their concerns.”

The hearing was granted after opposition members in the committee requested the chair to allow stakeholders one last hearing before presenting the law before parliament. PML-N members of committee had agreed, but only on the condition that this would be the last such consultation on the cybercrime bill.

Published in Dawn, May 22nd, 2015

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