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

ISLAMABAD, April 12: The government on Wednesday decided to allow private mobile companies to operate in Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas on permanent basis.

The decision came just a day before the expiry date of temporary private telecom services allowed by government in these areas after the October 8 earthquake. It would not only end the deprivation of the people there from cellular phone facilities but would also create the much-needed new jobs.

The mobile companies were allowed to operate temporarily in Azad Kashmir after the quake to facilitate donor agencies and aid workers in performing their relief activities.

Before that only Special Communication Organisation (SCO) had been providing telecommunication services in the entire area since 1976.

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) in a meeting here on Wednesday took the decision of granting licences to private telecom operators in Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas.

Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat presided over the meeting. Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecom Awais Ahmed Khan Laghari, PTA chairman Maj Gen (Retd) Shahzada Alam Malik and Director General Special Communication Organisation Maj Gen Shahid Maqbool were also present.

“PTA would define modalities for the grant of licenses to private operators in AJK and NAs”, the PTA chairman said while briefing the meeting.

He said it would take three months to complete the process, while parameters for granting of licenses would be formulated in lines with the directives of the federal cabinet.

“Only those operators would be allowed to continue their services in AJK and NAs which have been found eligible for telecom licences”, Mr Malik added.