KARACHI, Jan 5: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority arrested on Monday a man for running an illegal gateway exchange.

A press release issued by the Pakistan Telecommunication Company says that a team comprising PTA regional director Rizwan Hyderi and officials of the National Security and Surveillance team of the PTCL and a police squad of the Saddar police headed by ASP Kashif Kanjoo carried out a raid on an illegal gateway exchange terminating illegal international calls bypassing the gateway exchange of the PTCL at room No 1513, 15th floor, Scissor Tower, on Sharea Faisal, and arrested Nadeem Saleem on Monday.

The press release quotes the arrested man as telling the PTCL that the system had been operating since July 2003 with the capacity of eight cellular lines. "A dedicated DSL (Digital Subscriber Link) connection of 128 KB was obtained from M/s Multi Net. The team confiscated the following equipment which used to extend the facility of international calls: quantum gateway switch, server CPU, eight allied equipment for using mobile sim to terminate the international calls, and nine cellular sims."

It says that through this illegal gateway exchange M/s Ahmed & Ahmed communications caused an estimated loss of Rs90 million to the national exchequer in the last six months.

"An FIR was also lodged with the Saddar police station for further probe into the matter. It is worth mentioning that M/s Ahmed & Ahmed communications has a coordinated group and with the help of that group the company is also operating its business in Lahore and Islamabad," the release said, adding: "Investigation from the arrested person revealed that one of the co-accused named Yasir proceeded two days back to open a new office in Peshawar while one of the accused Asif fled from the scene. The PTA and the PTCL also made arrangements to raid Lahore and Islamabad offices of the company."