OGRA Chairman Barrister Nabeel Awan has said that oil marketing companies were involved in hoarding as they are hiding 35-day stock of petrol, claiming they ran thin supplies during price hike.
OGRA Chairman revealed this while briefing Senate Sub Committee on Cabinet Affairs which met under the chair of Senator Rana Mehmoodul Hassan in Islamabad on Thursday.
To a question about fake claims of oil marketing companies, Nabeel Awan told the meeting that hoarding was all over during oil price hike. He said when prices are increased then oil tankers were directed by the oil marketing companies to get off the motorways, suspending their journeys.
Secrtetary Establishment Division said that all issues highlighted by oil marketing companies have been sorted out.
PTA Chairman Major General (r) Hafeez Ur Rehman told the meeting that cellular companies were imposed four billion rupees fines over poor services. Senator Sadia Abbasi said that loadshedding and law and order situation were also contributing to poor services.
Telecom company representative claimed that the service quality was lacking due to the absence of infrastructure.
He said that there was a need for quality service in Karachi, yet infrastructure cannot be installed in central locations.
PTA Chairman said it has become increasingly difficult for the PTA to bring 5G services to citizens across the country.
PTA Chairman said that which company won the 5G auction has sold its towers to other companies.
PTA Chairman said that theft cases were reported at 900 sites of PTA and government was directing PTA to return the cash to the consumers. “If a citizen purchases a package but he was unable to use it due to a service outage, we are asked to refund the money”, PTA Chairman said.
PTA Chairman said PTA was unaware who introduced the bill proposing controversial amendments to the Telecommunication Act. “I saw the bill to amend the Telecommunication Act on social media,” said the PTA Chairman.
Senator Saleem Mandviwalla questioned why is the government was not purchasing oil from Iran?. “Sanctions have been reimposed on Iran,” said Secretary, Establishment Division. “We will raise this matter in the Standing Committee on Petroleum”, Senator Saleem Mandviwalla said.
Establishment Division opposes Senator Abdul Qadir’s bill to increase Balochistan’s quota in the civil services.
“Private property cannot be forcibly taken from citizens”, said Senator Saadia Abbasi. She said the government has decided to formulate a plan for uninterrupted power supply to the telecom sector. She said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had constituted a high-level committee headed by the IT Secretary to launch a plan for uninterrupted energy supply to the telecom sector. A high-level committee will submit its report to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif within three months; briefing.
Talking about electronic SIMS, PTA Chairman said that e-SIM can be transferred to another mobile device for free up to ten times. He said the price of the eSIM will be set at up to 1,500 rupees.He said that once demand rises, eSIM prices will decrease.
PTA Chairman said that PTA has no role in imposing taxes on mobile phones as imposing taxes on mobile phones falls within the FBR’s jurisdiction.
PTA Chairman said that 25 million mobile phones are being manufactured in Pakistan annually while Samsung and Apple mobile phones are imported and subject to taxation. PTA Chairman said that high taxes on mobile phones will create obstacles for 5G adoption.
