Federal Information Technology Minister Awais Leghari has said the present government has fulfilled its promise to reduce the rates of international and domestic calls as well as connection fee, adding it is also providing the facility of pay-phone system.
Talking to newsmen on Saturday, Awais Leghari said the Internet charges were cut by 40 percent.
The minister said more than 1,100 towns and cities were connected with the world through the Internet and the DSL system, and wireless phone system was also being introduced.
He said efforts are under way to bring Pakistan at par with the world in the telecom sector, and provide maximum facilities to the subscribers aiming at promoting business, exports with rest of the world.
The minister assured that more concessions would be given to the people in due course of time. He, however, ruled out the possibility of reduction in local call rates, saying the duration of call might be increased.
He also said for the first in the history of Pakistan, the PTCL charges were reduced more than 50 percent during last four years, adding telephone connection fees in urban areas were reduced to Rs 750 from Rs 4,000, in rural areas to Rs 500 from Rs 4,000, international calls reduced to Rs 20 from Rs 45 to Rs 55 per minute, and the trunk call for more than 160-km cut to Rs 5.25 from Rs 23 per minute in 2000.
The minister said the Pakistan Telecom Authority (PTA) has asked all the cellular companies to cut their tariff considerably and improve their services otherwise they would be liable to be penalised under the law.
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