ISLAMABAD, April 28: Computer manufacturers and traders have asked the government to take practical steps in the upcoming budget to curb the menace of piracy causing millions of rupees loss to the national kitty.

President Pakistan Computer Association (PCA) Munawar Iqbal held a meeting with a representative of a London-based Business Software Alliance (BSA) here on Saturday.

The delegation is visiting Pakistan to discuss means and ways for controlling the menace of piracy in the country.

According to a press release leader of the delegation Aly Harakeh said that genuine computer manufacturers and traders must adopt measures to stop pirated software’s in the market.

He suggested that PCA should join hands with the BSA to urge the Pakistan government to formulate an action plan to stop software’s piracy. During the meeting members of the computer industry explained the problems being faced by computer vendors regarding piracy.

They apprised the BSA representative that few software companies were also bracketing vendors with the pirates and lodging FIRs against them.

The PCA president offered his full cooperation to fight piracy. He, however, expressed deep concern over registration of police cases against the computer vendors.

The PCA proposed that a better understanding and awareness about the problem and minimum prices for the licensed software’s were proper steps to check piracy.

He also proposed relaxation in the software prices for different types of computer users like students, corporate customers, universities, computer vendors and technical institutes.