The spam bots are quite affectionate. When I’m not around, at least they notice. Thanks, Sam, for offering to introduce me to hot girls of unknown beauty.

With that auspicious start, let me tell you about Lootmaar. I sent a little sneaky email to a bunch of friends two weeks back saying that the beta is now ready and available. I didn’t post it here, because I was afraid. I thought my child wasn’t ready. Can it really deal with the cheek pulling enthusiasm of the real world? So I didn’t post about it here. The baby needs rest, I thought.

In the meanwhile, Jehan Ara Pasha (:P), used Lootmaar, liked it and wrote a post on it. Osama picked up the story from Jehan’s blog, and wrote a valuable analysis. My baby was becoming famous.

Somewhere along the line the first transaction was closed, a Rs. 300 graphic card. The toothy grin of the first buyer is attached.

In its own humble way, Lootmaar is creating history. URL: http://beta.lootmaar.com

We’re only offering the service in Karachi and are working with a courier to take Lootmaar countrywide.

-Adnan

“I bought mine on Lootmaar!”

I’m scared.

The fact that writing this can land me in prison according to the new Cyber crime bill sends an uncomfortable tingle down my spine. Seven years and Rs. 1 million in fines. And guess who will do the honors? Our very own, incorruptible FIA. They have the right to issue their own warrants, keep you in jail while you wait for trail, and prosecute you on the basis of laws so vague that you have no recourse to justice.

It happened to Faisal Chohan. It can happen to you.

In addition to botching up basic definitions of spoofing, phishing, spamming and malicious code, the wording of the law, if introduced, can get you thrown in prison for up to seven years, if you do any one of the following:

1) Legal-speak: Send an email that contains indecent language

Translation: Utter a certain four letter word.

2) Legal-speak: Threaten any immoral act

Translation: What is morality, and what does it have to do with the law? What kind of cretins draft these bills?

3) Legal-speak: Make any proposal of an obscene nature

Translation: Make a movie plan for Khuda ke liyay with a fundo mistakenly on copy.

4) Legal-speak: Whoever transmits unsolicited electronic messages in bulk

Translation: Send 5 emails to introduce your product to customers.

5) Legal-speak: Whoever involves in falsified online user account registration

Translation: Create a hotmail account under an assumed name.

6) Legal-speak: A corporation shall be held liable for a criminal offence committed on its instructions or for its benefit

Translation: Do nothing. If your employees without your knowledge, permission or approval do something improper, which brings any benefit to your company, then FIA has the grounds to shut you down.

This law lays the grounds for what the government has wanted all along-to make Pakistan a police state and to usurp basic civil liberties. This law affects everyone, from housewives to IT consultants. Anyone you uses the internet or a cell phone can be persecuted. That’s 60 million Pakistanis on last count.

Despite repeated objections by PASHA, despite Barrister Zahid Jamil’s meetings with Owais Leghari and his presentations to the government, the bill was passed by the cabinet and is now waiting to be approved by the National Assembly. If that happens, then the technology investments in Pakistan will dry up because the legislation will send Pakistan back to stone-ages in terms on IT governance. Even worse, it will give FIA carte blanche to arrest, torture, persecute, plunder and pillage to their heart’s desire.

We all rant about the political process, about corruption and injustice. How many of us, the supposedly influential upper-middle class, protest beyond living room debates? This is your chance to make a difference. Write about this, blog about it, talk to an MNA, get international coverage. Show the government how daft their IT ministry is and stop this draconian bill from becoming a law.

-Adnan

More: Activism at t2f http://www.t2f.biz/events/be-really-scared/

I’m back. After a 34-hour flight, security checks at every airport, a 7-hour layover at Zurich, and a 5-hour delay in Dallas, my macbook and I have made it safely. I’m trying to keep my macbook away from collapsing bridges, electricity fluctuation, and dug up roads. My baby is too young and too fair to deal with the vagaries of the world.

Jawwad, who has gone silent after his elaborative rant, has been kind enough to let me hijack a desk in his office. I do have to deal with curled up tissues thrown at my like projectiles when my chair creeks, but considering the prime property I occupy, it’s a small price.

There is a lot happening, and I hope to keep you posted now. Also, while the blog will remained focused on technology and entrepreneurship, being back in Karachi, I want a space where I can rant and, occasionally, rave. I intend to do that here. Object now, or forever hold your peace.

-Adnan
Btw. Pandora works in Pakistan!