ISLAMABAD, Aug 28 Two members of National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology MNAs Anusha Rahman Khan of PML-N and Marvi Memon of PML have launched a campaign to develop consensus in parliament against enacting the Prevention of Electronic Crime Ordinance 2009 (Peco) in its current form.

A resolution in this regard has been drafted, which had signatures of MNAs Anusha Rahman Khan (PML-N), Marvi Memon (PML), Haider Abbas Rizvi (MQM), Engr Khurram Dastgir (PML-N) and Attiya Inayatullah (PML).

A statement issued here said the concept of cyber terrorism was a loosely-defined term and this, in its current form, would lead to punishment of innocent people who could be picked up on allegations of terrorist intent. The implications of the current ordinance would make Pakistan a police state as per the signatories who had protested against its re-promulgation one day before NA session and when the issue was already under consideration of the standing committee of the National Assembly.

Anusha Rahman Khan and Marvi Memon had proposed an alternative legislation and submitted it to the National Assembly Secretariat as a private member bill by the name of Cyber Crimes Act 2009. The signatories would like a civil society dialogue on the proposed Cyber Crimes Act 2009 and will be further building cross party consensus on the same.