LAHORE: Lahore High Court Chief Justice Mamoon Rashid Sheikh on Tuesday issued notices to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and all cellular companies on a petition questioning weak coverage of mobile signals within the premises of the court and its vicinity.

Representing a lawyer, Advocate Azhar Siddique argued that lawyers and litigants visiting the LHC on a daily basis had long been facing problem due to weak signals of mobile phones.

He said the cellular companies failed to maintain the frequency level of their towers and at the same time the towers were still working on old technology. He further said that no attempt had been made for modernisation of the existing technology.

The counsel stated that weak signal amplifiers were being used for enhancement of signals and at the same time illegal and unauthorised jammers had also been installed within the subject area without any approval from the authorities concerned.

He pointed out that the matter was agitated before the Competition Commission of Pakistan and the PTA but they paid no heed to the problem.

He asked the court to order the PTA and cellular companies to place on record specifications of mobile towers and the technology used therein besides steps taken to modernise the existing system.

The chief justice sought replies from the respondents by Feb 3.

Published in Dawn, January 29th, 2020