PESHAWAR, Dec 8: Law-enforcement agencies have failed to stop illegal sale of satellite telephone connections in the country, which has caused losses of millions of rupees to the Pakistan Telecommunications Company Limited (PTCL).

Four illegal shops in the Awami Market of Karkhano bazaar adjacent to the Khyber Agency and three in the main Quetta market, had been selling satellite handsets, SIMs and scratch cards for the last three years.

Due to the leniency of law-enforcement agencies, some wholesale dealers of mobile sets have also been smuggling satellite handsets and scratch cards and selling them through their dealers, sources told Dawn here on Wednesday.

These connections are Dubai-based and smugglers had been purchasing satellite telephone sets, SIMs and scratch cards from various United Arab Emirates cities where one person could buy as many as he wished, the sources said.

In Pakistan, however, a person can purchase a maximum of three connections from legal franchises set up in major cities. And the buyer has to provide personal details and two references. But, contrary to rules for legal franchises, a persons can purchase a number of connections from these illegal satellite telephone outlets without providing any information. "These sets are cheap compared to the genuine franchises opened in the country," the sources said.

The price of a Thuraya satellite telephone set with connection is Rs36,000. The same facility with Dubai-based number is available at these illegal satellite connection outlets for Rs26,500.

"This illegal purchase has caused losses of millions of rupees to the PTCL, which is a share-holder in the Thuraya company," said an official of the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA).

"The PTA is responsible to provide protection to its licensees and it cannot take any action directly against these illegal satellite phone outlets," he said. He told Dawn that many letters had been sent to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to take action against these illegal outlets of satellite telephone, but so far they had not taken any action.

He said even PTA Director-General (Enforcement) Brig (retired) Zubair, in Islamabad, had informed the FIA director- general about the illegal sale of satellite phone connections and the subsequent losses to the PTCL. But there has been no response to any of the PTA official letters, he lamented.

According to the sources, the FIA deputy director (crimes) held a meeting with the regional deputy director of the PTA, Mr Kamran Gandapur, on Monday and discussed the issue in details. But sources claimed that the FIA had shown reluctance to raid the shops in Karkhano bazaar, fearing that it might create law and order situation. They said the PTA had also written a letter to Judicial Magistrate Haq Nawaz Swati, who was judge of the special court for telecommunications, informing him about the illegal sale of the sensitive communication equipment.