STAFF REPORT ISB: The National Assemblys Standing Committee on Cabinet has been informed that it is deplorable that Afghanistan has 3G technologies while there are several complications in the auction of 3G spectrum licence in Pakistan.
However, PTA Chairman Farooq Awan assured the committee that the authority will finalise the 3G licence auction by the end of this year. He also informed the committee that the authority wants that there might be a monitoring committee having complete access to information. He said that to ensure transparency in the 3G auction process, an independent team will also be constituted, which will monitor the whole process.
He further informed the committee that due to delay in auction of 3G licence, India has recently overtaken Pakistan in teledensity rate. The telecom sector contributed over Rs 109 billion to the national exchequer in terms of taxes during 2011-12 against Rs 105 billion in 2010-11.
The PTA chairman further informed that Rs 200 million have so far been recovered from defaulters during 2011-12 against over Rs 250 million. However, a decline has occurred in recovery as most of the defaulters went to courts and took stay orders.
The committee further informed that the government has reinstated Member Finance PTA while inquiry against him in embezzlement is still underway.