Govt turns down Senate panel proposal seeking suspension of 3G spectrum auction
Minister of State for IT tells committee that there is no legal clause that could hamper the auction process.
The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication on Thursday recommended the government to withhold the process of auction of 3G and 4G spectrum licences and instead first hire the third member of the PTA. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
Amid a session that also saw divisions within the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) ranks, the government has turned down a Senate panel proposal seeking suspension of the upcoming auction of 3G spectrum licences until the federal authorities complete Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s (PTA) composition.
The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication on Thursday recommended the government to withhold the process of auction of 3G and 4G spectrum licences and instead first hire the third member of the PTA. Under the rules, the standing committee recommendations are not binding on the government.
“There is no legal lacuna that could hamper the auction process and the government does not agree with the committee’s recommendation,” Minister of State for Information Technology Anusha Rahman told the committee. She vowed the government would fulfill all of its international commitments and the auction will be completed as per schedule on April 23.
Pakistan is already lagging behind its regional peers in introduction of advanced telecom services, which is hampering growth in the services sectors that contribute more than half of the total national output. The government has decided to sell three 3G licences and two 4G licences this month, hoping to raise a minimum of $1.3 billion.
The Standing Committee met on Thursday under its chairman Senator Idrees Khan Safi to discuss the processes chosen to auction spectrums of 3G and 4G did not proceed well with committee members disagreeing on many fronts.
The Minister of State questioned the timing of bringing up the issue of 3G and 4G on the agenda, just a week before the auction. “I wish the committee would have taken up the issue in August last year and sought regular briefings afterwards,” she said.
Senator Abidi and Senator Zahid Khan of Awami National Party (ANP) were of the views that the PTA’s board was so far incomplete and that bars the regulator from making a decision.
Ministry of Information Technology Secretary Akhlaq Ahmad Tarar apprised the committee for having appointed two out of three members on the recommendations of an independent commission.
In the meantime, on the observation of Supreme Court of Pakistan, the additional charge of the post of member Compliance has been temporarily given to Federal Secretary Ministry of Law, said Tarar. Tarar said according to the PTA Reorganization Act of 1996, the majority members of the PTA can take any decision.
The committee members also objected over the government’s move to finalise policy guidelines by Auction Supervisory Committee, headed by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar. Rahman said under the Constitution the powers to determine policy guidelines rest with Prime Minister or his nominated federal minister. She maintained that the role of the Supervisory Committee was over and now the PTA was responsible to hold the auction in a transparent manner.
Amid a session that also saw divisions within the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) ranks, the government has turned down a Senate panel proposal seeking suspension of the upcoming auction of 3G spectrum licences until the federal authorities complete Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s (PTA) composition.
The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication on Thursday recommended the government to withhold the process of auction of 3G and 4G spectrum licences and instead first hire the third member of the PTA. Under the rules, the standing committee recommendations are not binding on the government.
“There is no legal lacuna that could hamper the auction process and the government does not agree with the committee’s recommendation,” Minister of State for Information Technology Anusha Rahman told the committee. She vowed the government would fulfill all of its international commitments and the auction will be completed as per schedule on April 23.
Pakistan is already lagging behind its regional peers in introduction of advanced telecom services, which is hampering growth in the services sectors that contribute more than half of the total national output. The government has decided to sell three 3G licences and two 4G licences this month, hoping to raise a minimum of $1.3 billion.
The Standing Committee met on Thursday under its chairman Senator Idrees Khan Safi to discuss the processes chosen to auction spectrums of 3G and 4G did not proceed well with committee members disagreeing on many fronts.
The Minister of State questioned the timing of bringing up the issue of 3G and 4G on the agenda, just a week before the auction. “I wish the committee would have taken up the issue in August last year and sought regular briefings afterwards,” she said.
Senator Abidi and Senator Zahid Khan of Awami National Party (ANP) were of the views that the PTA’s board was so far incomplete and that bars the regulator from making a decision.
Ministry of Information Technology Secretary Akhlaq Ahmad Tarar apprised the committee for having appointed two out of three members on the recommendations of an independent commission.
In the meantime, on the observation of Supreme Court of Pakistan, the additional charge of the post of member Compliance has been temporarily given to Federal Secretary Ministry of Law, said Tarar. Tarar said according to the PTA Reorganization Act of 1996, the majority members of the PTA can take any decision.
The committee members also objected over the government’s move to finalise policy guidelines by Auction Supervisory Committee, headed by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar. Rahman said under the Constitution the powers to determine policy guidelines rest with Prime Minister or his nominated federal minister. She maintained that the role of the Supervisory Committee was over and now the PTA was responsible to hold the auction in a transparent manner.