June 04, 2008	Wednesday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 29, 1429

HYDERABAD, June 3: The Pakistan Telecommunication Company president (PTCL) Waleed Arshhaid said on Tuesday that there would be no more seniority-based promotions in the company and it was not necessary that an officer with grey hair was posted as general manager.

Mr Arshhaid said during his address to the officers of PTCL at a hotel that a junior officer could be posted to the same position provided he showed results. Etisalat would post employees oversees wherever it needed them and on their return they would have become assets for the company, he said.

“I’ll not listen to anyone using leverage of politicians for promotions nor will there be promotions on ethnic, race or gender basis. We need those who are ready to deliver and they will be comfortable with us for their entire life,” he said.

He observed that PTCL could survive only if it became 100 per cent commercial entity and produced results. The company would train employees so that they could be posted to technical positions, he said.

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, he conceded that PTCL needed to focus on customer care and improve its service delivery. The company was offering different attractive packages to its subscribers, he said.

“It’s not a question whether we are offering less or more but we are determined to give our best to subscribers. Advertisement for some of the packages has started from June 1, like unlimited local calls between 11pm to 6am,” he said.

He said that 5,000 units package was introduced on promotional basis and after considering subscribers’ response the company decided to reduce the units to 2,500.

When he was told it appeared unethical on part of PTCL to thrust different packages on subscribers without seeking their consent, he tersely replied “I am not here to discuss what is ethical or unethical. No other company is offering such services.”

He said that the packages included free voice mail and Rs120 broadband dialup backing for Internet users.

Mr Arshhaid, who is from Jordan, said that the PTCL would become a dynamic company because it was the country’s largest communication provider.

He said that PTCL was responsive to market trends and subscribers’ needs. “It didn’t offer any package during last eight years but now you can find more packages being offered,” he said.