The Consumer Association of Pakistan moved the Sindh High Court (SHC) against local call pulse (duration of local call) from five minutes to two during peak hours of 8 am till 9 pm and four minutes from 9 pm to 8 am from April 01 and also Pakistan Package upon its millions of customers.
The petitioner Kaukab Iqbal moving the SHC through his counsel Javaid Ahmed Chattari advocate maintained that slashing of call duration was against assurances given by the government at the time of privatisation of PTCL and instead it was canvassed by the government that private sector service provider would provide far better services at cheaper rates.
The petitioner drawing a comparison maintains that local call rate charged by PTCL at present is highest world over and thus consumers are badly affected. The unilateral decision would result in 100 percent increase in telephone bills of the PTCL subscribers and that by imposing Pakistan Package, respondent would earn millions in short time.
It was maintained that no seller can impose its decision upon consumers and it could not be imposed without getting consent of the consumers. The petitioner prayed to the court to declare the act of the PTCL as illegal, direct PTCL not to impose Pakistan Package on its customers and change it into offer. The petition is likely to be heard by a division bench of SHC on April 28.