SATURDAY DECEMBER 15: Auction for 3G licences: TI Pakistan, PTA sign pact to ensure transparency

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Telecommunication Authority and Transparency International Pakistan on Friday signed integrity pact to ensure transparency in the auction for 3rd Generation Spectrum (3G) licences. PTA Chairman Farooq Awan and Transparency International Pakistan Chairman Sohail Muzaffar signed the pact on behalf of their respective organisations. Federal Minister for Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh also attended the signing ceremony.
Despite strong reservations of the Cabinet over the Transparency International Pakistan reports regarding widespread corruption in the country, Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh said Transparency International Pakistan would act as observer as far as the auction for 3G licenses is concerned. Speaking after the signing ceremony between PTA and Transparency International Pakistan, the Finance Minister said Transparency International Pakistan would act as observer in the auction to ensure transparency in the process.
When asked, how a body which came under strong criticism during the last Cabinet meeting would ensure transparency, he said that selection of Transparency International Pakistan to monitor 3G auction process was aimed at improving the image of the country as well as to ensure transparent auction.
He added that the selection of Transparency International Pakistan in this regard does not mean to curtail the role of other accountability institutions including National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Public Accounts Committee, Federal Investigation Agency and other parliamentary oversight committees. The government wanted to maximise the revenue by making the auction for 3G licenses transparent. The minister said that other public sector organisations also need to sign such integrity pacts with the Transparency International Pakistan. The minister said that the completion of 3G auction would play pivotal role in the improvement of economy, besides creating new job opportunities.
Regarding corruption in the country, the minister said that the Prime Minister has constituted a committee comprising four ministers to be headed by Farooq H Naek, Federal Minister for Law and Justice, which would start work from next week, the minister added. The committee in collaboration with the NAB, anti-corruption institutions of the four provinces, Competition Commission of Pakistan, Securities & Exchange Commission of Pakistan, registrars of the courts and chambers of commerce would devise a strategy to understand the corruption issue.
The PTA chairman said the process is expected to be completed in the current year. According to the Auditor General's report, a loss of $582 million was accrued to the exchequer by the end of 2011. Now, another year has lost and the loss has further increased, the chairman added. Sohail said it is not only in Pakistan that Transparency International Pakistan entered with government in such activity. It also entered into such pacts with Indian government as well. Transparency International Pakistan will monitor the tender and other process of the auction without taking any remuneration, he added.