LAHORE, Sept 20: The Pakistan Telecommunication Company’s free phone connection packages have proved nothing more than a publicity stunt as hardly five per cent applicants could be accommodated in the city under the scheme so far. The PTCL had announced three free phone packages in February, April and August, this year, giving a period of 15 days to apply for each from the date of their announcement.

Under these packages, a telephone set, registration and installation of a connection were offered free of cost.

Sources told Dawn on Tuesday that more than 10,000 people in the city applied for the packages, but hardly 500 lucky ones had been provided with the free phone connections so far.

Most of the applicants have stopped pursuing their cases after receiving no response from the officials concerned.

“I had applied for the Independence package for grant of a free connection in August. However, after a lapse of two weeks from the date of my application no official contacted me in this regard. I then contacted the PTCL office concerned but I was told that the area (Multan Road) where I live has no network therefore the connection cannot be provided,” said an applicant, Abid Mahmood.

“The PTCL should at least apologize to the applicants instead of making excuses,” he added.

Sources said the PTCL management was more interested in scoring points to impress “certain quarters” by introducing such schemes but was least bothered about the company’s image.

The sources said a majority of the applicants had been told that the PTCL had network problems in the areas where they lived.

The PTCL officials said the areas which had network problems included Township, Jauhar Town, Garden Town, Agerton Road, Multan Road, Ferozpur Road, Cantt and Defence.

General Manager (South) Hafeezul Islam was not available for comments.