HYDERABAD, March 15: The third referendum in Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited is being held on Tuesday (today) to elect collective bargaining agent (CBA).

The referendum was announced by the National Industrial Relations Commission following a process of litigation, involving the former CBA Pakistan Telecommunication Employees Union, led by Rana Tahir and the Pakistan Telecommunication Company Lions Staff Union of Haji Khan Bhatti.

Other contesting unions are the Pak Workers Union and Pakistan Telecommunication Lines Unity. The PTCL Employees Union has to its credit two packages that it claimed to have got approved from the PTCL management for workers.

It has defeated the PTCL Lions Staff union in two successive referendums held in 1995 and 1998 in spite of the fact that the latter was supported by the political parties including the People's Party and Muttahida Qaumi Movement.

This time the MQM has announced its support for the Pakistan Telecommunication Lines Unity which has election symbol of flower.Around 65,000 workers would cast their votes in the PTCL which consisted of 35-regions of various sectors.