ISLAMABAD, Dec 14: Expressing concern over what it called unnecessary criticism by vested interest, the government on Friday made a major policy shift and decided to involve civil society, judiciary and provincial governments in the auction process for $1.5 billion third-generation telecom licences to ensure transparency.

Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, who heads a ministerial oversight committee on the auction of 3G spectrum licences, told a news conference that the decision had been taken to ensure transparency, improve public confidence and build Pakistan’s image abroad and maximise the sale proceeds for the country.

To start with, he witnessed the signing of an integrity pact between Transparency International Pakistan (TIP) and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). Under the pact, he said, the TIP leadership had been given a role to help PTA complete the auction process in a transparent manner and ensure that all steps were taken strictly in accordance with laws and in the national interest.

The minister announced that TIP’s involvement would also be ensured in other federal and provincial departments. The government, he said, wanted to improve transparency in public procurement and governance process and hence a four-member ministerial committee had been formed by the prime minister to involve civil society in the process so as to stop corruption and run the government affairs in a transparent manner.

In order to achieve this, the National Accountability Bureau, Public Accounts Committee, concerned standing committees of parliament, TIP, anti-corruption departments of the four provinces, Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan, Competition Commission of Pakistan, registrars of courts at national and provincial levels, Overseas Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry would be involved to finalise a strategy to understand the issue better and help the government come up to the expectations of people.

In reply to a question if national institutions had failed to ensure transparency and whether the involvement of an international organisation in the government process was an expression of no-confidence in ministers and regulators, Mr Shaikh said he was not saying this but involvement of Transparency International that enjoyed good reputation would help improve Pakistan’s image abroad and discourage unnecessary criticism from vested interest who did not want the 3G auction process to generate funds for the country.

He said TI’s involvement in a major transaction was an additional safeguard and did not mean that Pakistan’s oversight bodies like the PAC, standing committees of parliament, courts and media had diminished because they would continue to play their role.