This Just In

Dear all,



We had a meeting with the Minister for IT today (Dec 16) and presented the following charter of damands:



Illegal Raid and Arrest of CEO Cogilent Solutions on Alleged VOIP Termination


Industry Charter of Demands for Ministry of IT

by

Association of Call Center Operators (ACCO)

Pakistan Software Houses Association (PASHA)

Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan (ISPAK)


1. Faisal Chohan, CEO, Cogilent be released immediately.

2. Disciplinary action against officials of PTCL and PTA who lodged the fake complaint and made an innocent professional to remain in jail for many days.

3. Compensation to Cogilent Systems for the loss of reputation and business.

4. Compensation to Faisal Chohan and his family for the suffering, agony, and mental torture to his wife that has led to death of his to-be-born child.

5. Policy Directive from MoIT to PTA be immediately issued on following:

a. to issue an order to allow inter-office VOIP and PC to Phone use for non-commercial use. This would be in continuation of PTA�s Determination of 16 November 2002 on IP Telephony-Net2Phone Unblocking of Web Site.

b. Re-defining raiding mechanism by PTA/FIA. PTCL, as a complainant should not be part of any raid. Joint Industry Nomination by sough by the MoIT and Industry�s representative should accompany such future raids.

c. Re-define VOIP office to office policy in consultation with industry.


On the directions of MOIT, PTA issued a letter to FIA for withdrawal of the case. FIA is completing the legal formalities and would submit the case to the court. Hopefully, on Monday, inshallah, case would be withdrawn in the court and Faisal would be out of prison.

The Minister has taken a stern action, and apologized for this act, and has promised to compensate the company, penalize the mis informer that is PTCL. The press conference, right after the meeting, was widely covered by all major media (TV, newspapers etc) and they asked direct questions from the minister about this whole drama.

It is not all over yet, Faisal is still in jail and will be coming out on Monday or Tuesday. Depending upon the swiftness of our justice system.

And the momentum and struggle will go on in Pakistan till the laws are changed and such acts are not repeated again.