Dr Khawar Siddique Khokhar, in a letter written to Principal Secretary to the PM, the cabinet secretary, secretary information technology, has termed recently appointed three consultants for 3G auction as illegal, in violation of telecom and PPRA rules and without the knowledge (and approval) of authority.
This was reported by “The News”, by saying that it has a copy of Dr. Khawa’s letter that was sent to concerned authorities.
It merits mentioning here that PTA had announced just last month that it had hired three consultants to carry out 3G auction by early 2013.
Dr. Khawar Khokhar, in his letter, revealed that he didn’t know of appointments until he had come to know through the media about the hiring of the three consultants.
Dr. Khawar has claimed that, according to Telecom Act, signing of three members (member finance, member technical and chairman) is necessary for any such kind of contract approval.
While Muhammad Farooq Awan, Chairman PTA, claims that he has the authority to appoint advisers/consultant without consulting the members. Chairman confirmed that Dr. Khawar objected the hiring of consultants.
Differences between Member Technical and Chairman of PTA first surfaced in October 2012 when member technical had allegedly denied to brief the media over 3G and had walked out of the press conference in presence of media and PTA officials.
It maybe recalled that hiring process of consultants for 3G auction went unsuccessful twice, due to which the 3G auction has been delayed for over a year now.
Consultants for 3G auction were finally hired just last month and regulator is aiming to conduct 3G auction by early 2013.
Auction of 3G licenses is feared to get further delayed if hiring of consultants is challenged (and probably reversed) in such a way.
PTA had hired following three consultants:
- Mr. Rob Nicholls for the role of:
- Valuation Advisor
- Spectrum Regulatory Policy Advisor
- Mr. Dennis Ward for the role of: Spectrum Auction Deign Advisor
- Mr. Martin Sims for the role of: Auctioneer/Auctions Software Advisor
All three consultants were hired for a short term advisory services, for which the total cost of three consultants is said to be USD 545,000 or PKR 51,775,000 for three months.
3G is a dream for Pakistanis :(
my ears hearding 3G since 2006 nut there is no sign of 3G that its launch in pakistan but a common sentence in urdu is is famous for 3G that ” Umeed py dunya qaim hai” lets see in early 2013…………………………………………….
To hell with 3G and PTA!!! The Drama will continue!!!
Great !!! so the whole country can suffer while Dr. Khawar and Chairman Farooq resolve their petty rivalry
December 2013 tak 3G aa jaye ga. Jesa December 2009 mein Load Shedding khatam honi thi :P
3G will arrive after March 2013.
to mera andaza sahi tha, 3G auction main bhi corruption ker kay sastay licenses ke pori pori koshish ke jayay ge. is corruption main hakomat ka hath nahi lag raha balkay wo lag rahay hain jinko sastay license milnay say faida hoga.
mujhay to lagta hay bahir ke companies ko bhi koi moqa nahi dia jayay ga.
awam to bus awam hay, unko sirf 3G ke jaldi ya late honay ke parwah hay. 3G rates sun ker kai ainda 3G news ke parwah karna chord dain gay.
Har kis ko khanay ki pari hy