UAE based telecom firm, Etisalat is looking for discount and said that disputed land’s value (some 450 million dollars) should be deducted from the PTCL deal, said a letter written to Pakistan Government and acquired by Reuters.
Etisalat was offered discount to pay 2.6 billion dollars in installments along with other incentives – when it was drifting away from the initial agreement.
Etisalat has been locked in a dispute over the $2.6 billion purchase of 26 percent stakes in the Pakistani firm since 2006, due to complications over land sales linked to the deal.
Etisalat is holding the pending payment for long, which it says will be paid once the land properties are transferred. However, now as a letter seen by Reuters, Etisalat is looking for a discount in the deal by deducting the price of disputed lands, estimated at some $450 million.
Reportedly, in the letter, Etisalat asked the Pakistani government to suggest a cut-off date for the deduction and receive the balance of the payment.
However, a Pakistani official told Reuters on Thursday on the condition of anonymity that it would “not accept any discounts” on the outstanding $800 million, although it would accept an initial $500 million and the balance at a later date.
“The remaining properties are private and not linked to the government at all, that’s why it’s taking more time,” the official said, declining to give a date when he expected the land transfers to be finalised.
Etisalat could not immediately be reached for comment.
Good, this Giant telecom company was sold in 1/10th of its price and still they want discount ? It was much better if it was sold to people of this country at double price and in cash. 2.6 Billion US$ and that too in installments is a big joke with this nation.
Give them the discount, PTCL is not worth 2.6 B
why not Zong or Telenor buy All PTCL & UFONE Company???
because Zong and telenor dont have such capicity, they just improve their networks this will be a big thing for them
Morons at the helm didnt realize that by selling to Etisalat, they’re not going to improve the working of PTCL. They didnt even realize that by bending over backwards, they will not improve the outlook of the privatization either.
PTCL should have been sold off to the second highest bidder once Etisalat backed off from providing its initial tranche. Due process was not followed, which only set a bad precedence. Etisalat is doing whats in its best interest, are we?