ISLAMABAD: Telenor Pakistan has signed its GSM license renewal template issued by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) under protest and without prejudice, said the cellular mobile company.
Despite the signing of the license after paying the fee in full, the company stated it reserves the right to continue seeking a legal resolution to its dispute with the PTA on the case.
The PTA had issued a 15-year license for network operations to Telenor Pakistan in 2004, which was due for renewal on May 25th, 2019, a failure of which could impact its nationwide operations.
However, due to a row on terms and particularly the increased license fee, Telenor Pakistan decided to approach the court of law in May 2019 to get a clarification on the license renewal terms.
In September 2021, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) dismissed the petition that was filed by both Telenor and Jazz against the PTA. Both companies then decided to challenge the IHC verdict in the Supreme Court.
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According to Telenor, the dispute on the onerous terms and conditions of the license template is sub-judice before the Supreme Court of Pakistan and Telenor Pakistan will continue the legal recourse to resolve disagreements.
“However, subject to outcome of aforesaid legal proceeding, in order to ensure greater certainty to business operations, Telenor Pakistan has taken a step forward towards its future ambition by singing the license template,” the company added.
Commenting on the development, the CEO Telenor Pakistan, Irfan Wahab Khan, stated, “Telecom and digital services have become fundamental for modern, sustainable societies to prosper. At Telenor Pakistan, we are continuously maximizing our efforts towards enabling our customers and accelerating the pace of digitalization in the country.”
“The digital ecosystem in Pakistan has immense potential to grow however, there is a need for collective efforts to exploit the potential and bring greater value to consumers. We look forward to the resolution of industry issues and the support from PTA towards ensuring a more conducive regulatory environment in the country,” Irfan added.
Telenor Pakistan has been at the forefront of delivering unhindered and exceptional services to its customers while playing an active role in promoting the country’s prospects in embracing the digital revolution. Continuity of seamless and best-in-class connectivity and digital services, for its 49 million customers, remains the top priority for Telenor Pakistan, the company added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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