ISLAMABAD, Aug 7: The Rawalpindi Bench of Lahore High Court on Monday referred a PTCL appeal to chairman Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) directing him to review its orders of lowering the telephone company rates.

Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited had filed an appeal in the Rawalpindi Bench of the High Court challenging the orders passed by Pakistan Telecommunication Authority on June 23, 2006 in which the PTCL has been directed to lower its rates in eight categories of tariff.

The PTA had also stated in its directives that telecommunication companies in other countries have these rates much lower than the rates of the PTCL. Apart from this, the capacity of such companies’ network is much higher than that of the PTCL.

Based on these arguments, the PTA had directed the PTCL to lower its rates from January 1, 2007 to make them compatible with the rates of international companies in other countries.

On Monday, when the case was opened by Justice Abdul Shakoor Paracha, attorney general of Pakistan Makhdoom Ali Khan and Naeem Bukhari Advocate appeared on behalf of the telecommunication company.

They termed the PTA directives as illegal and unjustified adding that it would give a big loss to the telephone company.

The telecommunication authority was represented by Sardar Ijaz Ishaq Advocate. He defended the Authority’s decision asking the PTCL to lower its rates.

After hearing arguments from both sides, the learned judge directed the PTA chairman to listen to the grievances of PTCL and then decide the case according to law.