April 13, 2006	Thursday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 14, 1427

ISLAMABAD, April 12: UAE-based Etisalat on Wednesday formally took over the charge of Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited.

A nine-member new board of directors has been set up. The new board comprises five members of Etisalat and four from the government side. The new company has not made any immediate change in the administration.

Meanwhile, talking to a private TV channel, Privatisation Minister Owais Ahmed Leghari on Wednesday expressed the hope that Etisalat would run PTCL in a professional manner. He said the transaction of PTCL ended in very professional manners.

“We have transferred the management to Etisalat and it is up to them to run the company in a professional way. We are expecting a value-addition in the management of PTCL,” the minister added.

In reply to a query about a reduction in the tariff after taking over by Etisalat, Mr Leghari expressed the hope it would take place as the government had already created an environment of competition in the market.—-Online/APP