NA Body Questions PTCL for Selling its Properties

Staff Report:
The National Assembly Standing Committee on IT & Telecom here on Tuesday, questioned the authority of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTCL) to sell its properties, as its board was not the owner of the company.

The committee held here in the Parliament house sought answers over several queries from the PTCL- state owned largest telecom company of the country including the powers of the Board under the sale purchase agreement (SPA) between the government of Pakistan and Etisalat.PTCL Group Reports 15% YoY revenue growth

Chairman of the committee Syed Amin ul Haque showed an advertisement to the officials of the ministry of IT &telecom as well the executive representing the PTCL.

The advertisement by the PTCL called for the bidders to purchase several properties of the PTCL, but in response the PTCL executive said that no property has been sold as the required price was not offered.

The answer irked the committee members and Mukhtar Ahmad Malik of the PML-N said, “What was the intention in floating this advertisement – to sell the properties?”

He criticised the PTCL for not fulfilling their commitments made in the committee, “You do not share the SPA, for three months you have been telling this parliamentary committee that the procurement policy of PTCL will be submitted here – why is everything being delayed.”

While, Mr Haque politely asked if the SPA allowed the board of the company to sell the assets, if so how much of the assets can be sold?

The committee members read out the minutes of the previous meeting where the PTCL had had informed that 62 percent shares of PTCL were with the government of Pakistan, while 26 percent along with management rights were with ETISALAT and 12 percent have been floated at the stock exchange.

After facing the grilling at the hands of committee members for not providing the answers of queries presented in the previous meeting, the PTCL stated that they did not had the answers as they were not technical people.

Chairman of the committee along with the warning directed the PTCL to provide answers of all the queries in the next meeting.

While, Omer Ayub and Sher Ali Arbab criticised the government for the plans to block VPNs in near future, and continuous internet throttling.

Mr Omer Ayub demanded action under the Committee Rules against the PTA and the IT ministry officials who have been giving misstatements in the committee.

“They told the committee that internet speed will be normal by end of August later it was end of October and we still face it, some said that VPN usage was degrading internet,” Mr Ayub said, as he had joined the committee through a digital link.

Dr Khawar Siddique, member compliance PTA told the committee that internet seed was normal in the country, he added that there was no connection with the usage of VPNs and the internet speed in country