Planned auction of 3G / 4G licenses in Pakistan was somewhat jolted when Senate’s standing committee on Information Technology yesterday recommended to delay the auction since Pakistan Telecommunication Authority is yet to have its member technical.
Senate’s standing committee, chaired by Mr. Idrees Khan Safi, said that auction should be delayed till the appointment of third member of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority.
Faisal Raza Abidi during the meeting said that he was the person who had opposed this auction in the time of PPP and now again he was of the view that such an important auction should not be held in a hurry.
It maybe recalled here that 3G licensees were initially planned for auction in 2009, however, the process was delayed several times due to several senseless reasons.
Anusha Rehman, Minister for State, Ministry of Information Technology and Telecom, straight away refused to the recommendation and said that auction will be completed by April 23rd, as per plans.
Committee was told that the Commission established by the government decided to re-advertise the slot of third member of PTA because only two applications were received for this position. Now a firm has been hired for the process of short listing of applications and the hiring of third member of PTA.
Mr. Ikhlaq Tarar, secretary IT Ministry, informed the committee that, on directions from Supreme Court, the vacant post is temporarily occupied by the ministry of law secretary.
Tarar said that according to the PTA Reorganisation Act of 1996, majority members of the PTA are able to enforce decisions.
For those who don’t know, the auction process of 3G spectrum was expedited in August 2013 through a petition that was moved to Supreme Court. Petition had urged the court to order immediate auction of 3G licenses.
Apex court, during its adhoc decision, had said that no delay would be permitted for the auction of next-gen license. In fact it was Supreme Court of Pakistan that had directed the government to appoint Chairman PTA at earliest so that the auction process of 3G licenses is started.
Government, however, kept delaying the appointment of Chairman PTA and was eventually warned by Supreme Court for the same.
It merits mentioning here that recommendations of Senate’s standing committee do not bear any legal standing. All the recommendations may or may not be incorporated by the government.
Authorities concerned confirmed ProPakistani that yesterday’s recommendations are not being considered by the government and that auction of next-gen licenses will be held as per announced plan.
I don’t know what people like FAisal Raza Abidi are even doing in this committee…. They have no knowledge about this stuff and they definitely doesn’t care about people. Personal agenda is written all over this drama by these PPP goons!
Is it a personal agenda to request that a technical process be handled when someone competant is at a technical post? If PTA’s Technical membership is lacking, then we should investigate WHY it hasn’t been filled for so long.
Seriously, you cannot complain on one hand that Minister has no technical experience yet at the same time demand that the auction take place when there is no PTA technical member to evaluate things. Be consistent.
I would rather ask the question — where was this senate committee before?? When the auction is just 2 weeks away suddenly these useless senators came to their senses and started to worry about these technical issues! I would stick with my view of personal agenda stuff, because that’s what it is. Instead I’d like to know the qualifications of people like Faisal Raza Abidi to be on the panel, how does he qualify in any way to give his worthless comments on such an important issue!
Abdi’s qualifications: Retired PPP jayalaa. He has to stay in the news someone. Please do not take this right away.
Minister’s qualifications: She is the best N league could come up with. Andhoon mein kana raja.
Lets get this over with. Qualified people on key posts in pakistan? hahh. Height of day dreaming. That time will never come. Why suffer?
True.
They got elected. That’s all the qualification the senators need to be on the committee.
Seriously, that’s it.
then we should stop these stupid and pathetic “elections” by a nation of mostly illiterate people who themselves don’t know what is good for then and blindly “vote” for these pathetic people.
The army should just take these morons out ASAP. PPP and PML-N are an internal threat to Pakistan.
At the very least, there should be requirement of an inter or A level degree before being allowed to vote instead of a stupid id card which shows nothing about a person’s intelligence or ability to vote.
If Musharraff was here, we would already have 4G, let alone 3G.
The last time we had the army in power we made a huge blunder with selling PTC L. The economy growth started failing in 2005. Every time you have a power outage, you can blame zero politicians.
Thinking that military government is better is like ignoring history.
Just at the nick of time these sleeping senators woke up, wow! Please don’t get up till auction is done.
These moro*** are tottaly muft khoorras …
PTA given chance to those do this bull shit, why they extend date 23rd April instead of 7th April
F**k Faisal Raza Abid …. WHAT A SUCH KIND OF BULLSHIT PERSONS….
غیبت حرام اور جہنم میں لے جانے والا کام
He is not a human
Koi yeh to butaye k new operator b aa raha ha k ni
turk cell is the new entrant which is now least expected
new ne a kar kon sa teer mar laina hai.
3g start kab hoo gi pata he nahi hai?
Even if theres one, so what? International bandwitdh is handled by skunk PeeTeeCL. Transworld are their lackeys. So they are random nothing.
BANDAY HAIN HUM USKY HUM PY KISKA ZOOR…… UMEEDON KY SOORAJ NIKLAY CHAROON OURR………. HAHAHAHAHAHA…….. DO NOT WAIT FOR BULL SHIT….. :D
“he was of the view that such an important auction should not be held in a hurry”. Hahahahaha.
Last Night i saw FAisal Raza Abidi interview on local t.v channel ..he was shouting on same issue . As per his saying they want transparent Auction. That’s all….they say its a plan of existing telecom operators and they wont allow any new comer….
Ab ye bhi TALIBAN pe daal do..
There are some black sheeps who not implement the 3G/4G tech in Pakistan, and PTCL is one of them important play role for deny the desired tech. PTCL moto that he is sole and number 1 service provider who working service all over the Pakistan. Be a remote area resident of Pakistan. I’m not shy and hesitate to explore my very disappointing view regards to PTCL. Mostly corrupt staff all over the Pakistan. PTCL already bought Wateen and kick out Wateen in the race of new tech fantasy. I remember how I was much mentally and physically stress with so-called behaviour from PTCL staff side. After 2 months calls/visits for my DSL connection, at the end PTCL operator told me that there is not possible to make a DSL connection for you(me)…
Bought wateen? Ye kab hua?
What is the worth of these standing committees and they can hold this auction any have answer?????
What is the worth of these standing committees and they can hold the certain auction, anybody have answer?????
Why don’t you get elected? If you don’t play the “game” you (we) will always lose.
@amir atta you missed out this news http://e.dunya.com.pk/detail.php?date=2014-04-12&edition=LHR&id=997303_64887309
Sir yeh news hum nay hi break ki thi: https://propakistani.pk/2014/04/09/exclusive-pakistan-may-auction-four-3g-licenses-and-two-4g-licenses/
we should be happy for it that 3g and 4g both are launching together in pakistan.as compared to others they are still using 3g
The reports from reuters is totally baseless.. even on base price, 3/4G will fetch more than 1.3B US$.. This will be a productive auction
Welldone PTA and its team..
Auction will be held on time and it should be.. Pakistan is lacking of many advanced technologies,for that purpose we need 3G/4G auctions ASP.
good news that auction is on 23rd of this month..and happy that we will compete with other countries in 3g and 4g very soon.
Auction will be held on time as said by Chairman PTA. such positive initiatives by GOvt of Pakistan must be appreciated