Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has denied the hiring of advisors against 700 million rupees regarding auction of 3G. It is clarified that three advisors against four advertised assignments have been hired on a monthly remuneration of 181,667 dollars for three months aggregating to 545,000 dollars (Five Crore 28 Lakh rupees) and hence the allegation of hiring on total remuneration of Rs 700 million (seven million dollars) is totally baseless and is an effort to halt the auction of 3G.

It is further clarified that some of the personalities from the beginning have made every effort not to let the project of 3G to go ahead. The auction process has been blocked at the initial stage twice before i.e. hiring of the consultant. Now the consultants have been engaged through an open and transparent way in accordance with section 3(8) & section 10 of the Act read with Regulation 115 of the PTA Employees Service Regulations 2008. The existing Member (Finance) is also signatory to these regulations. It is pointed out that the delay in 3G auction is already causing loss of millions of dollars to exchequer per day besides opportunity cost of billions of rupees per month.-PR

Copyright Business Recorder, 2012