SC directs govt to appoint PTA chairman within 15 days

Appointments should be made before proceeding with the 3G auction, says chief justice.

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary has directed the government to appoint a chairman and other members for Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) in the next fifteen days, Express News reported on Monday.

“The appointments should be made before proceeding with the 3G licence auction,” said the chief justice.

The chief justice said that there is no existence of an organisation that can control grey traffic worth billions.

During the hearing Justice Jawwad S Khawaja also questioned the government’s intention of having a regulatory authority for cellular companies in Pakistan.

Pakistan’s cash-strapped government had promised to sell 3G mobile telephone licences to raise revenue, match regional rivals and drive prosperity.  However, the process has been beset by delays since the cabinet has to first appoint members to constitute PTA.

Even Afghanistan, Pakistan’s far less developed western neighbour with a weaker economy and more fragile state, has the technology.

But Pakistani consumers struggle to transfer data by phone, video streaming is often interrupted – although technically YouTube is banned – and video calls problematic.

A growth in broadband penetration is expected to lead 1.3% growth in gross domestic product (GDP) of Pakistan.