The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has stopped Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) from taking action against two mobile operators even after expiry of their licenses on May 25th, 2019.
The court has also sought a para-wise reply from the Ministry of Information Technology and from PTA till May 14.
IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah took up the pleas filed by Pakistan Mobile Communications Limited (Jazz) and Telenor Pakistan for hearing on Monday.
During the course of hearing, Advocate Hamid Khan took the plea that licences to cellular mobile operators were last issued on 26th May 2004 for a period of 15 years.
“Renewal of license is our right,” he stated, adding that the PTA has to decide on the renewal of licence within three months.
“We wrote a letter to PTA in this regard on 31st March 2016, but no decision has been taken on the application as yet,” he said, accusing the respondents of delaying the process of renewal of licences “intentionally”.
Deputy Attorney General Raja Khalid Mehmood on the occasion sought time from the court to file a reply. The court, while granting his request, adjourned the hearing till May 14.
