Islamabad, Sep 3: The Ministry of Information Technology (IT) has received a new letter from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) about the renewal of licenses for Long Distance and International (LDI) businesses and the collection of unpaid fees.
PTA has asked for a policy directive to modify dues from businesses’ escrow accounts in its correspondence.
Three LDI companies have already had changes made from their escrow accounts, according to the PTA’s letter. Furthermore mentioned in the letter is the verbal agreement of certain corporations to modify their dues from these accounts. Nonetheless, the PTA stressed that in order to move forward with more escrow account modifications, a formal policy direction from the federal government is required.
The PTA claims that when one business, 4B Gentle, gave its approval, the matter for the adjustment of dues from escrow accounts was sent to the Ministry of IT. The PTA’s request has not yet received a response from the ministry, though. The PTA stated that although it has notified the IT ministry of other LDI businesses’ consent, it has not heard back from them officially.
ADG LDI’s escrow account was the source of a prior case that involved the collection of dues, which was forwarded to the Ministry of IT. The ministry had consented to the escrow account of ADG being used to deduct dues. Now that the federal government has released a policy directive detailing the process for such changes, the PTA has once again emphasized that withdrawals from escrow accounts are only permitted with the approval of both parties.
In addition to an extra Rs. 54 billion in late payment surcharges, LDI enterprises owe a total of Rs. 24 billion in Universal Service Fund (USF) APC penalties. Until all unpaid debts are settled, the PTA has declined to renew these businesses’ licenses. A few LDI businesses, whose licenses have lapsed, have been granted court-issued stay orders that allow them to carry on with business as usual without paying their debts.
