16 May 2004	Sunday	25 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1425

PESHAWAR, May 15: The only state-run mobile phone company has reportedly given more than 25,000 phone connections to an assorted group of dealers, who have nothing to do with the cellular phone business.

One businessman running a gasoline station near Christian cemetery had secured 3,000 connections, while another businessman running a superstore near Hayatabad Morr on the University Road also got 3,000 connections on official rate, but they were minting money by selling them in the black market.

The cellular phone company, had been alluring the general public through the print and electronic media to pay Rs1,499 for one connection, but the businessmen were selling it for Rs2,400.

Various teams of the company visited a number of establishments and organizations in the city and gave them presentations about the facilities available with the phone company for the customers.

A mobile phone dealer told Dawn that the unjust allocation of phone connections at the highest level in Islamabad had triggered a crisis in Peshawar. "We are genuine dealers. We pay all taxes on the cellular business, but, we have been thrown out of business by the nouveaux riches," he added.

Another mobile phone dealers at the Bilour Plaza claimed that he could arrange scores of connections at exorbitant rates from a petrol filling station owner at the University Road. "It is a long chain that is involved in the black marketing of the mobile phones," he said.

A senior official of the company denied that somebody at the top level was involved in the racket. He said if any dealer was involved in the black-marketing, it was unfortunate and the company would blacklist him.