KARACHI, Aug 8: A non-governmental organization has claimed to have collected almost 45 million signatures for a petition that categorically condemns terrorism and is now gunning for a place in the Guinness Book of World Records.

A press release says that while the current record stands at 24 million signatures, the campaign initiated by Yeh Hum Naheeh condemning terrorism and distancing Islam and Muslims from the phenomena, has gathered close to 45 million signatures.

The organization has also blitzed the local print and electronic media with celebrity-backed appeals urging people to sign the petition either physically, on the website or through text message.

“This is a big break for Pakistan and Pakistanis all around the world. The movement has now broken all previous world records and will be recognized as a big step forward for Pakistanis who distinguish themselves from the sin that is terrorism,” the press release quoted Waseem Mahmood, the chairman of the group spearheading the campaign, as saying.