TMCnet News
3G, 4G tech auction not possible sans PTA board(Daily Pakistan Today Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Chairman sub-committee of the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication, Senator Muhammad Zahid Khan, on Thursday maintained the decision of Senate Standing Committee and directed that the auction of 3G and 4G technology should not be done till the composition of PTA board. The Senate body met here under the chairmanship of Senator Muhammad Zahid Khan including member Syed Faisal Raza Abidi and special invitee Senator Abdul Haseeb Khan, Minister for IT Anusha Rehman Secretary IT and Secretary Law and Justice also attended the meeting and discussed the legal status of the ASC and the forthcoming 3G and 4G auction. The chairman said the defaulter companies and the government departments should not be included in auction as it was not justified that government was bidding, and the government companies were participating in the bid. He said the auction of 3G spectrum should be done first and after some period the auction of 4G should be initiate to receive more funds. The secretary law and justice told the committee that after directions of the Supreme Court, the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) has appointed member finance and member technical through the commission, while the advertisement had been given for the appointment of member compliance and enforcement, and so far 62 applications were received. The chairman said that Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication had already given a decision that till the formation of PTA board the process of auction for 3G and 4G technology should not be initiated. Senator Faisal Raza Abidi said the high court had already given the decision for appointment of third member and added that three billion dollars could be received if the process of auction was kept transparent. |