I reproduce my Statement of Interest from last year, which still stands:
“I am a Barrister-at-law of the Hon’ble Society of Gray’s
Inn, London, an Advocate High Courts of Pakistan and Senior Partner of Jamil & Jamil,
Barristers-at-law a commercial and corporate law firm in Pakistan which is the only firm that also specialises in IT, IPR, Cyber crime and Data Protection.
I am the Chairman of the Domain Name Dispute Resolution Center (www.dndrc.com) which deals with domain name disputes under the .pk ccTLD and is
a member of the Business and Commercial Users Constituency.
I am legal counsel to the IT Association in Pakistan (Pakistan Software Houses Association of IT & IT Enabled Services www.pasha.org.pk) and
Chairman of the Electronic Business, IT & Telecom Commission of the Pakistan Chapter of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).
I have been an active advocate of policy reform in Pakistan to improve the E-Crime Ordinance in line with international best practice and the CoE
Convention on Cybercrime and have assisted the ISP Association, IT Association, the Computer Society of Pakistan and the ICC Pakistan Chapter in formulating
their comments to the Government on the legislation. I have also been working informally with the Federal Investigation Agency’s National Response
to Cyber Crime Cell (NR3C) in certain cyber crime cases and regarding reform of the E-Crime Ordinance.
In a recent events that took place in Pakistan one where a IT Company owner who was proved innocent was arrested for using VoIP I provided pro bono
legal advice. Also during Youtube blocking by Pakistan’s Telecom Authority I lobbied and advocated the withdrawal of the block, which was successful.
As
such I am deeply concerned about the stability and security of the Internet and the need to educate all stakeholders, especially regulators,
against ill-advised regulatory mechanisms to ‘control’ the internet that may result in the fracturing or instability of a global, secure, stable and
24x7 available internet.
In this respect at the 2007 IGF in Rio I have been a panellist at the CoE Workshop "Legislative responses to current and future cyber-threats" and
also been a panellist in the main Session at the Rio IGF on 14 November 2007.
I attended the 2007 IGF in Athens where I made interventions from the floor and was a panellist in the APC workshop. I also attended the IGF Second
round of consultations on the convening of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) 19 May 2006, Geneva.
I have participated in the 2007 ICANN meeting in New Delhi, the 2008 Dubai Regional Meeting and the 2008 ICANN Paris meeting.
Also as Chairperson
Joint Legal Working Group and Member of AFACT Asia Pacific Council on Trade Facilitation and E-Commerce (AFACT) I have a particular interest
in how the domain name system affects business and trade facilitation.
The internet has for developing country businesses and turned the pyramid on its head by empowering developing economy businesses with information
which used to be the purview of government or vested interest. This has resulted in their being able to make quantum leaps in exports of goods and
services where once the regulatory regimes imposed upon them would impede and restrict interaction and trade. Hence, developing economy businesses
rely as much if not more on the availability, stability, security and global unity of the internet. As such, I believe that developing country businesses
have an important role in providing input into the ICANN process. They have enjoyed little representation on the GNSO and as such I would be wish
to be a voice to advocate their role through the BC. However, as a representative elected to the GNSO Council by the collective members of the Business
Constituency, I am required by the Constituency’s Charter to support and otherwise remain faithful to approved positions of the Constituency
as applicable. None of my clients presently have any contractual relationship with ICANN.”
In the past year I have participated on several Cyber security related forums many of which are domestic as well as the Council of Europe Cybercrime
Convention Octopus Forum and the UNODC.
I am a member of the Multistakeholder Advisory Group which is tasked to assist the UN Secretary General in convening the Internet Governance Forums.
This is my second term in that position.
Since my election last year to fill a BC Councillors seat on the GNSO, I have had the opportunity to actively be involved and advocate BC’s
interests on the GNSO and through this position with various Stakeholder Groups, AC/SOs and the ICANN Board (especially in interactions at the tri-annual
ICANN meetings). I was elected by the GNSO to represent the GNSO on the Geographic Regions Working Group which, in my opinion, may prove to be an
important WG in the coming months. I have also actively advocated BC interests in the GNSO Travel Drafting Team and successfully achieved in ICANN
staff implementing several ideas. I was also appointed as a member to the Implementation Recommendations Team.
As a Councillor I have found myself more involved both in the workings of the BC (and its reform) as well as ICANN including its restructuring and
policy issues. The restructuring of the GNSO, its new collapsed Commercial Stakeholders Group and the several Work Teams and Working Groups requires
active participation and much policy work and in the last year I have, I believe, honed much of my skills in attempting to handle the workload and
the issues.
As a representative elected to the GNSO Council by the collective members of the Business Constituency, I shall endeavour to support and otherwise
remain faithful to approved positions of the Constituency as applicable. None of my clients presently have any contractual relationship with ICANN.