Cabinet Division seeks explanation from PTA chairman
Abdul Sattar Khan
LAHORE: Accepting the allegations levelled by the Member (Finance), Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), as serious, the Cabinet Division has asked PTA Chairman Dr Mohammad Yaseen to explain his position in respect of the allegations.
A letter under the subject “Violations made by Chairman PTA resulting into losses of billions of rupees to the national exchequer”, issued by Deputy Secretary (RA), Cabinet Division, Raja Ejaz Mehdi, the PTA chief has been asked to offer his comments within seven days of the receipt of the letter.
The allegations made by Member (Finance) Syed Nasrul Karim Ghaznavi in his report submitted to the Cabinet Division few days back held the PTA chairman responsible for making certain decisions without the approval of the authority in violation of Section 3(9) of PTA’s Act.
The allegations include the loss of Rs410 million incurred on account of deliberately mishandling the issue pertaining to M/s Callmate Telips Telecom Ltd, which earlier was allegedly allowed a sufficient time to get away with the default money and later on filed a recovery suit very late. Moreover, the company was allowed change of management despite being declared defaulter and its licence was than stood cancelled while the company was also not bothered to submit requisite information in response to repeated requests made by the PTA. The change of management was allowed despite the serious reservations expressed by the Director (Wireline Licensing) and much against the advice of the Member (finance) to re-examine the case.
Similarly, the PTA chairman also recommended approval of the split to DV Com (Pvt) Limited once again against the advice given by the Member (Finance) which was based on the independent legal opinion given by M/s Kundi and Kundi.
In addition DV Com Data has an outstanding Annual Radio Frequency Spectrum Fee (ARFSF) of Rs21.672 million till Jan 2011 while another amount of Rs1.5 billion is also outstanding against DV Com Data. Likewise, DV Com WLL has not submitted their AAAs uptill now and they are in default of ARFSF of Rs35.589 million upto June 2010.
Another charge, which also form part of this report submitted to the Cabinet Division by the Member (finance), relates with the issuance of Approved Settlement Rates (ASR) Access Promotion Contribution (APC) without the approval of the authority resulting in the menace of Gray Trafficking causes loss of billions of rupees to the Government of Pakistan.
The PTA had earlier clarified that Syed Nasrul Karim Ghaznavi, the suspended Member Finance of the PTA, is officially as well as morally required to clear himself first from the charges on whose basis he has been suspended and an inquiry is in progress against him before putting baseless, false and fabricated allegations on other to divert the process of justice being carried out in his case.
It is not correct to state that the suspended Member Finance has adopted the same course of action as had been done by the chairman in his case. The PTA chairman was asked by the higher authorities to submit a report on the performance of Ghaznavi who was placed on probation by the prime minister on serious charges of irregularities of approximately Rs5.5 billion. Ghaznavi on the other hand is disclosing official information in public in violation of official secret ACT thereby adding to the list of official mistakes already committed by him, the PTA said.
Source: The News
Date:5/24/2011
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