Loud Thinking

Archive for the ‘Technology’ Category

Dear Mr. Imran Khan Sahab.

AoA.

Sir,

Kindly peruse below few proposals for the subject mentioned challenge of making Pakistan an economic super power in the shortest possible time harnessing huge and amazing manpower potential and talent of Pakistan.

Few towering Pakistani personalities which can single handedly make Pakistan richest country of the region:

Shaheed Zulfiquar Ali Bhutto, one of the greatest statesman witnessed by the last century, will always be remembered as a huge benefactor of the country for his following services to Pakistan:

~ Arraigned honourable repatriation of about 90,000 civil and military POW’s from India.

~ Gave a unanimously approved constitution to the country.

~ Laid the foundations of nuclearization of Pakistan by selecting a metallurgist as the correct person (Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan) to head the nuclear project, who was only answerable to the Prime Minister.

~ Held the Second Islamic Summit Conference from February 22-24, 1974 in Lahore which came to be known as the Lahore Summit. It was an extra ordinary summit that was held on the proposal of OIC Secretary General Tunku Abdul Rahman.

For even half of the above stated monumental services, any other country would have officially paid homage on birthday and death anniversary, every year, to such a benefactor of the nation.

Now coming back to the topic, Pakistan is still very lucky that in this era, quite a few persons are available as detailed below, who can single handedly make Pakistan an economic super power, provided they are given free hand like ZAB gave to Dr. A Q Khan.

1. Dr. Imran Ahmed Khan
confidently says that Pakistan’s prosperity and economic turnaround is linked to the indigenous development of Rare Earth Metals (REM), Copper, Gold , Molybdenum, Lithium, Aluminium and few more.
We have oil, gas, valuable metals and minerals in abundance and as per conservative estimates, are valued up to 51 Trillion USD repeat $ 51 trillion. [Here it will not be out of context to state that the total GDP of the top 10 world economies [America, China, Japan, Germany, UK, India, France, Brazil, Italy and Canada) is $ 53 trillion.]
All that Pakistan has to do is to impose a blanket ban on export of ANY ORE in RAW form; for example copper and gold should be allowed to be taken out of Pakistan only in the finished form, for which the reprocessing/purification plants (can also be built within our country) must be installed in Pakistan.
Thereafter, replicate KRL model for indigenous development of strategic metals and commercial sales after value addition.
A very brief introduction of Dr. Imran Ahmed Khan is provided as below:

DG (Retd in 2017) Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP).

Ph.D. Department of Geological Sciences, State University of New York at Binghamton, New York, USA

DG (Retd in 2017) Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP).
Ph.D. Department of Geological Sciences, State University of New York at Binghamton, New York, USA

PROFESSIONAL FOREIGN TRAININGS

S. No.
Name of Course Attended
Dates
Name of Institution and Country

From
To

1.
Post Doctoral Research
Mar. 26, 1995
April 27, 1995
Department of Geology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, U.S.A.
2.
Advanced Course in Computer Sciences
Aug. 06,1990
Dec. 20, 1990
Department of Computer Sciences, State University of New York, U.S.A.
3.
Course in Sedimentary Petrology & Petrogenesis
Aug. 01, 1986
Sept. 30, 1986
Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California,
Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.
4.
Paleosols
Oct. 01, 1986
Oct. 14, 1986
Department of Paleobiology, Smithsonian Institution,
Washington, D.C., U.S.A.
5.
Course in Earth Paleomagnetism
July 10, 1984
Aug. 08, 1984
Department of Geological Sciences,
Dartmouth College, Hanover,
New Hampshire, U.S.A.

FIELD WORK (ABROAD)

U.S.A

​-​Structural evolution of the San Andreas Fault System, California: 1986.

-​Geomorphological characteristics of the Appalachiansaround Binghamton area, New York: 1987.

​-​Stratigraphy of Triassic Newark Group, Hartford Basin, Eastern U.S.A.:1987.

-​Study of modern carbonates deposition along mangrove islands in Key West, Florida, 1988.

​-​Study of modern coral reefs in the Atlantic Ocean, Florida: 1988.

-​Sedimentology of the Catskill Delta in New York and Pennsylvania: 1988.
​
-​Modern depositional environments along and across the rivers in North Carolina: 1988.

-​Documentation of the chemical characteristics of iron ore deposits of Triassic Newark Group in Hartford Basin, Eastern U.S.A.: 1989.

Spain

-​Internal architecture and geometry of channel sandstone bodies, Huesca Fluvial system, Ebro Basin: 1989.

India

-​Patterns of sedimentation of the Siwalik Group around Dehra Dun Valley, Mohand – Dehra Dun Sector, Haripur Khol – Kala Amb Sector: 1991.

China

​-​Sedimentology of evaporate deposits in Qaidam Basin, China.

2. Dr. Ikramul Haq is confident that we can easily increase tax revenues of the government of Pakistan from the current amount of about $ 40 billion to $ 80 billion per year.

The government of PTI can utilise his services in a suitable position to turnaround the economy of Pakistan; because at the end of the day, rebuilding of Pakistan’s shattered and plundered economy can only be done inside out, as loans and foreign aid at the best, can just keep us afloat/save from sinking.

Dr. Ikramul Haq is the most fit and suitable Pakistani person, who is highly qualified, extremely professional man of unmatched integrity and great international reputation of full command on taxation laws and international laws, on recovery of stolen assets. He has the best abilities to approach the challenges of economic turn around based on home grown strategies in a very smart, highly professional and least disruptive

Resume of Dr. Ikramul Haq is as below:

Dr. Ikramul Haq, Advocate Supreme Court of Pakistan and Chief Partner of Huzaima & Ikram, a leading law firm, studied journalism, English literature and law for his Master’s and Doctorate. He served in the apex revenue authority of Pakistan, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) from 1984 to 2006, after joining Civil Services of Pakistan (12th CTP). Besides, tax practice in Pakistan, he works extensively in international tax arena. His expert advice is frequentlysought by leading multinational companies working globally. His opinions in tax and other matters arequoted in Reuters and other leading international news agencies and broadcast by BBC in Urdu programme Sairbeen. He holds a Doctorate in international tax(specialization in transfer pricing). He is Adjunct Faculty of Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). He is also author/editor of variouspublications of IBFD (International Bureau of Fiscal Documentation). Dr. Ikram has been practicing since 2006 and teaching laws since 1988. He has been helping Tax Reform Commission (constituted in 2014) to prepare report for tax reforms and evaluate existing tax policy.

Dr. Ikram enjoys an internationally acclaimed reputation of employing a pragmatic approach in his consultancy services. Working with public/privatesector institutions and banking companies, Dr. Ikram provides a unique perspective by combining macro level tax policy with a special focus on the nitty-gritty of national tax codes. He has also provided structuring and transactional advice to countries and companies on the full range of corporate tax activities, including mergers and acquisitions, reorganisations, and structured finance. Dr. Ikram’s proactive advice also includes international structuring of inbound activities by multinational enterprises. As a result of his experience, he was selected by IBFD to write the country chapter on Transfer Pricing, Tax and Business Laws and Advance Rulings for its publications. He is author of many books and over 2500 articles on taxes, public finance and political economy printed byvarious journals, magazines and newspapers in and outside Pakistan. He is member of International Fiscal Association (IFA).

He is author/co-author of many books that includePakistan: Enigma of Taxation, Law & Practice of Income Tax, Law & Practice of Sales Tax, Law & Practice of Federal Excise, Practical Handbook of Income Tax, Federal Tax Laws of Pakistan, Provincial Tax Laws of Pakistan, Principles of Income Tax with Glossary, Master Tax Guide, Income Tax Digest 1886-2016 (with judicial analysis), Commentary on Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreements signed by Pakistan, Pakistan: From Hash to Heroin and its sequel Pakistan: Drug-trap to Debt-trap.

3. Mr. Asif Sharif is a world renowned agriculture specialist of such a potential that it will not be an exaggeration to call him Steve Jobs of agriculture, who confidently says that given an opportunity he can help produce an exportable agricultural surplus of over $20 billion for Pakistan which in turn will also provide jobs for over 50 lacs Pakistanis.

In this regard, if we are able to hugely conserve water consumption in agricultural sector and simultaneously more than double the production with reduced cost by using the methods proposed by Mr. Asif Sharif, the vision of re-building economically strong Pakistan, which will be a giver of aid to the needy countries, can be achieved in the shortest possible time, through green revolution in agriculture sector.

According to the tested methods of Mr. Asif Sharif “Raised beds irrigation system saves 80% water. It is as good as drip irrigation. Production is increased by at least 40% and cost of production is reduced by 80% or more.”

In view of the foregoing, Mr. Asif Sharif may be considered to form an organisation directly reporting to the Prime Minister, which should be responsible for increasing agricultural productivity in the country, to create exportable surplus in the shortest possible time.

In this connection, Mr. Asif Sharif may be advised to give a detailed presentation of his brain child of Rural Sector Productivity Enhancement (RSPE) which he thinks is the solution for all ills, poverty alleviation, jobs creation and placement, production of food, feed, fiber and industrial raw materials that meet buyers quality and price expectations, wherein, all Agro based industry should be engaged to participate in profit sharing, which shall be a wholistic program.

4. Mr. Salim Ghauri
Mr. Salim Ghauri is also a world renowned IT entrepreneur recognised globally today. He is the founder & CEO of NetSol Technologies. Keeping in view that the future of all business and service industry lies in the optimum utilisation of IT related technologies the government must appoint Mr. Salim Ghauri in an appropriate position at the federal level with the challenge of increasing the IT exports of Pakistan to $ 10 billion by the end of FY 19-20.

Best Regards,

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad
03219402157
Lahore.

According to a news by the daily “Express Tribune” now it seems that Pakistan is being taken for a ride by two telecom companies.

If the below mentioned news is true isn’t it a fit case for the cognisance of NAB & subsequent trial in the military courts for looting the general public in broad day light and government officials sleeping over it?

NEWS:

Pakistan’s LTE speeds one of the slowest in the world.

A new report has revealed that Pakistan’s recently launched LTE network is the fourth-slowest in the whole world in terms of speed.

A detailed report released by Open Signal on 4G LTE speeds and coverage around the world for Q4 2015, revealed that Pakistan has an average LTE speed of just 4 Mbps; which is slightly above the average for speeds of 3G (3.5 Mbps).

When compared to the world average speed of 13mbps, Pakistan fares extremely slow.

South Korea and Singapore have set themselves apart by providing the best coverage and the best speed, respectively. Singapore provides its citizens the fastest average LTE speed of 37 Mbps.

Pakistan ranks way below; at the fourth-last position with an average of 4 Mbps, followed by Saudia Arabia, Costa Rica and at the very last, Iran.

Pakistan’s broadband subscriptions cross 25 million mark

Despite its huge population and large surface area, neighbouring India provides average LTE speeds of as much as 13 mbps. However, Pakistan does have better coverage with 58% compared to 49% of India.

Moreover, according to the report which is based on the overall performance of the world’s global LTE operators, factoring in both average network speeds and network availability, LTE speeds in Pakistan have fallen down for both Zong and Warid in the last quarter from 8 mbps to 7 mbps and from 5 mbps to 4 mbps, respectively.

While Zong, the first network to launch 4G in Pakistan, provides more than double the speed when in comparison with the 3 Mbps provided by Warid, it however loses its edge when it comes to coverage; with 70% offered by Warid while Zong has only 56%.

Link..http://tribune.com.pk/story/1041448/pakistans-lte-speeds-one-of-the-slowest-in-the-world/

Mr. Modi you are striving for “make in India” just see below a glimpse of MADE IN PAKISTAN..!

MADE IN PAKISTAN: Pakistan’s contribution to the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) – the world’s largest and most powerful particle collider, the largest and most complex experimental facility ever built, and the largest single machine in the world – situated at the underground CERN facility in Switzerland and France. Photo shows a high-rate Resistive Plate Chamber (RPC) installed in the LHC, which was designed jointly by the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) and the National Centre for Physics (NCP), Islamabad, and manufactured at the Heavy Mechanical Complex (HMC), Taxila, Pakistan. Out of a total of 300 RPCs installed in the LHC, 245 (plus 43 spares) were manufactured in Pakistan. Pakistan won the contract for 288 RPCs by beating competitive bids from Chinese and Japanese firms, including Kawasaki Heavy Industries. The LHC is being used to trace the origins of the Universe and, in 2012, led to the discovery of the sub-atomic particle known as the Higgs-Boson, or the “God Particle”.

Making Pakistan first smart country of the world..!

Dear Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister of Pakistan, just to inform you that the Indian Prime Miniater Mr. Narendra Modi is taking India to another era of world’s latest smart city concept, which according to one definition is “A developed urban area that creates sustainable economic development and high quality of life by excelling in multiple key areas; economy, mobility, environment, people, living, and government. Excelling in these key areas can be done so through strong human capital, social capital, and/or ICT infrastructure.”

What are your government’s plans on making ALL cities of Pakistan as smart cities (not just Islamabad)?

It is suggested that world renowned IT personality Mr. Umar Saif, Chairman PITB & VC ITU Lahore, should be appointed your Advisor or Special Assistant with specific duties to make entire Pakistan, as the 1st smart COUNTRY of the world.

Moreover, also please peruse the NDTV’s today’s Tweet “Indian Cabinet likely to clear ‘smart city mission’ for 100 cities and ‘urban rejuvenation mission’ for 500 cities today, say sources”

The people of Pakistan need to know from the concerned in the GOP, the answers to the following questions:

1. Why there was no bidder for the expired license of Instaphone? Who is responsible for this grave failure?
Here it must be remembered that despite the false myth, of the stiff competition, the Pakistani telecom market is working like dollar manufacturing machine, for the telecom companies, which are regularly earning and remitting billions of USD, back to their parent overseas companies. However, these companies do not want to invest a single penny in Pakistan from their overseas wealth, that too earned from Pakistan.

2. Why the procedure of auction was designed in a manner which facilitated the alleged pooling? Has any action been taken against the consultants, who were hired for very hefty amounts?

3. What reciprocal benefits were BARGAINED with the telecom companies, in accepting their HUGE DEMAND, for allowing the payments in Pak Rupee (after it was decided and notified in the Information Memorandum (IM) that the entire auction payments will be required in the USD) which effectively confirmed that no foreign investment will be coming to Pakistan, in this auction?
In fact this acceptance of demand changed the whole scenario of the auction.

4. Why no serious efforts were made to invite new foreign telecom companies? Does it mean that the few telecom operators in Pakistan, would not allow any new entrant in their field to guard their monopoly?

5. Why no new foreign telecom company came to Pakistan, when major current telecom companies in Pakistan are doing such a ROARING business (against the wrong myth of stiff competition) that they are REGULARLY sending around $2 billion per annum profit out of Pakistan, which is more than the combined yearly profits of the two world leading US soft drinks companies in Pakistan?

6. And despite such a huge earnings of the telecom companies in Pakistan, why the FBR is not pressing, for its many years old claim of more than PKR 50 billion, usurped by these companies, on account of payables to the government, collected from the public, on GOP’s behalf?
This amount must be recovered now with the accrued interests, for which if required, the matter may be got decided from the courts; and till such time the decision is pending from the courts, this amount should be taken from the telecom companies and kept with the courts.

7. When the whole world is crying foul in the 3G/4G bids submitted by the four Telecom companies, why the government gave statements that the auction will fetch a satisfactory amount of $1.3 billion, when even these payments will be received in the Pak Rupee? Here, why the public is not being told the fact that even this amount will not be received in full, but only PKR 65 billion will be received as lump sum; and the remaining 50% amount will be received in easy instalments, spread over 5 years?
This virtually means that GOP has given a major concession of “pay as you earn” to the telecom companies, which again proves that there will be no inflow of foreign investments, in this auction.

8. If earlier the GOP accepted the demands of the telecom companies, to withdraw from the notified IM the payment condition in USD to PKR, why no bargaining was made to get the entire auction amount in the first instance without any instalments; and why the telecom companies were not forced in the same bargaining of depositing their outstanding amount of PKR 50 billion, which actually don’t belong to these companies, as it was the amount of taxes collected from the public on the government’s behalf?

9. Why the government relaxed the rules to allow the participation in the telecom spectrum auction, of a defaulting telecom company?

10. Why the $800 million due from a defaulting telecom company since 2006 is not being forcefully recovered for the equal of the more than 95-97% properties, already transferred in that defaulting telecom company’s name.

11. Why the defaulting telecom company is holding $800 million of the GOP, just for the non transfer of less than 3-5% properties? Why the government has allowed it self to be black mailed in this case, when on an another account a Turkish power company’s ship was seized by the GOP for its default? Why UAE’s telecom company is being given a preferential treatment, over the Turkish power company?

12. Why the government has not decided to cancel the privatisation of the PTCL to Etisalat Telecom on its about a decade of default of $800 million, which in real terms now means almost equal to near about $5 billion?

13. When specially 3G spectrum is a life and death matter for the telecom companies in Pakistan, why Warid Telecom has decided to stay away from the bidding?
This question has many aspects and need deep investigations to find the true answers.

14. Why not immediately scrap the 3G, 4G telecom spectrum auction till some more companies also join the telecom business in Pakistan?

15. GOP announced in very categorical terms that 3G Telecom Spectrums will be auctioned to the 3 Telecom Companies out of the 4 bidders. Why then in the end this farce of auction was turned into an virtual allotment; and instead of giving licences for 3G/4G Spectrum to the first 3 highest bidders it was virtually ALLOTED to all  the 4 bidders that too practically at base price?

16. This also means GOP allowed pooling of the bidders as no bid was effectively, substantially and reasonably above the base or reserve price.

17. If in the end instead of auction, the licenses were to be ALLOTED or just upgraded, then why GOP spent millions of Rupees/Dollars to hire the services of the consultant.

18. The two telecom companies namely Mobillink and Telenor are owned by VIMPLECOM. Now these companies are blocking one license for a new company/foreign investment. Why this aspect of monopoly has been ignored by the GOP.

19. If Mian Mansha can be called by the NAB on MCB’s  privatisation irregularities why can’t the responsible GOP persons of the GOP be called by the NAB on converting an auction into an allotment/up-gradation?

Yes we can, we have not one but two persons, who can deliver to the nation and the world even more than Steve Jobs, provided they are given the government patronage, proper atmosphere and opportunity for R&D in IT sector; and they are Mr. Umar Saif, world renowned IT genius guru and Chairman PITB and Mr. Jibran Asghar, an IT (software) genius of Pakistan, working for the last 10 years in Bern, Switzerland.

If we watch the Movie “Jobs” which is based on the story of Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple Computer Inc., is a life story of how the Apple Computer Inc. came into being.

It is a story of a man driven by his brilliance. It was as if he knew his life was short and he was given this gift and ordered to fulfill it.

In that quest he failed to make friends, gave up old friends, did not amass wealth, lived a simple life, took some controversial actions that were wrongly interpreted. Yet, he managed to create an enterprise that was valued as the most valuable company in the world.

In that process he made thousands of Millionaires and lifted hundreds of families from abject poverty to a life of affluence.

His mantra was simple, give the people something that they have never used but be honest when you offer that. The net result was he generated an unparalleled following.

Apple sold less cell phones than most of the worlds brands, but made many times more revenue than any other cell phone company. The reason, people trusted Apple to provide the best. Then sacrificed (some even sold their body organs) to obtain their product at any price. Apple delivered what it promised.

That is how legends are made.

Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Sb.

Salaam.

Today (31 May, 2013) it has been reported that ministry of finance expects to earn $1 billion from the auction of 3G telecom license, during the first three months of your government. Link:- http://jang.com.pk/jang/may2013-daily/31-05-2013/u148138.htm

In this regard, some facts are placed before you to judge for yourself that why this telecom auction can and must generate much more than $1 billion.

PPP government finance minister Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, had budgeted a figure of ONLY $800 million income in the FY 2011-12 (this is on record and can be confirmed from the documents), for which auction was planned in March, 2012, for NOT ONLY 3G but 4G LTE and 5G LTE-A.

Just imagine 4G LTE and 5G LTE-A were to be given free with the auction of 3G. Whereas, in April, 2010 India ONLY auctioned 3G, for a whooping amount of $15 billion. Now after over 3 years, this figure almost may be equal to $20 billion.

Here, the question arises was Indian economy or telecom density size (at that time in 2011-12 when Pakistan went for the aborted auction) was more than 18.75 times bigger than Pakistan’s economy and telecom density? Sir, all this gap was to be made up with corruption and corruption alone.

Plus the mother of all corruption was the plan (clearly written in the tender that 4G LTE and 5G LTE-A license was to be given free along with 3G) to plunder the national wealth with future telecom technology licenses, to be gifted free of cost.

Here, again the question arises that when in the year 2004 Pakistan auctioned the 2G telecom license we didn’t give 3G license for free. And now when in 2012, we went for the auction of 3G, why advance technologies of the future were being given for FREE. (currently we are on 2G, whereas Kabul, India has 3G and Oman 4G LTE).

In view of the foregoing, I am more than 100% sure that now when we are entering middle of the year 2013, if the 3G (along with 4G LTE & 5G LTE-A) auction is done in an intelligent, smart and honest manner, Pakistan can very easily fetch anything between 2-5 billion USD.

Last but not the least, I would humbly like to inform that by the grace of Allah, first I single handedly convinced the government in 2011 to go for the auction of the 3G license. And, later on again in the year 2012, I had to wage a full fledged war to stop the government after the issuance of tender, to abort their nefarious designs and plans to indulge in mother of all corruptions.

In this regard, I had the FULLEST support from Senator Pervaiz Rashid and Ms Anusha Rehman & Prof. Ahsan Iqbal Sahab. Geo, Dunya & Ary TV media also fully supported me in this Jihad against the mother of all scandals. Moreover, Mr. Zahid Malik of Pakistan observer and Transparency International Pakistan, also played a very active part in stopping the government going the wrong way in this case. My salute to all these patriotic Pakistanis.

Best regards,

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad

Now, after wasting almost a year’s time, the government of Pakistan is again active in proceeding with the telecom auction of 3G spectrum. However, this time GOP or PTA has appointed three consultants for advising on the whole process of auction to ensure transparency (as being told to the general public).

In this regard, we invite the attention of all stake holders of this telecom auction, to the pit falls of the previous IM (information memorandum); and the terms of tender documents duly elaborated in my February 2012 open letter to the then PM Pakistan, Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, reproduced as below for the benefit of the all concerned, to ensure that Pakistan is not cheated in the ensuing 3G telecom auction, planned in the coming weeks and months. Plus the mew IM must mention that any telecom company like Etisalat, will not be allowed to participate in the bidding process of the auction, if it is a defaulter of the GOP, notwithstanding the fact that it has gone to the court or got an stay order etc. Any such party must deposit the outstanding amount in lump sum. However, if at any later stage, the defaulting company gets courts order in its favour, the GOP must be bound to immediately return the disputed amount.

$10 Billion Impending 3G Auction Scam – My Open Letter to PM in February 2012, Still Relevant Today.

Honourable Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani,

AoA.

It will not be out of place to begin with a news item published in the news papers today i.e., Wednesday 1 Feb. 2012, stating that the Indian Supreme Court warned on Tuesday that corruption posed a “grave danger” to the world’s largest democracy quoted as below. Quote ” Today corruption in our country not only poses a grave danger for the concept of constitutional governance, it also threatens the very foundation of Indian democracy and the rule of law.” Unquote. The above was said by Justice A.K. Ganguly, while delivering a ruling in connection with the alleged underpriced selling of telecom licenses, which the national auditors says may have cost the country up to $39 billion.

An excerpt from a Times of India news published on Wednesday, 2nd Feb. 2012 is also given below for the information of Mr. Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, Finance Minister of Pakistan, who says he expects only $800 million from the COMBINED telecom auction of 3G, (4G LTE) and (5G LTE-A.) (India got IRS69 billion for ONLY 3G, exactly two years ago, as per TOI news quoted below.

“The 122 licences were given by Raja for over IRs 9,000 crore, while 3G auctions for a smaller number of licences had fetched the government a sum of IRs 69,000 crores.”

In the same context of selling of telecom licenses in Pakistan, a mega scandal is also brewing, for which your kind attention is invited to immediately intervene, so that the nefarious designs of unscrupulous elements to defame the PPP and its government, is nipped in the bud.

DETAILS OF THE CASE

With the recent publication of the advertisement of PTA in the news papers for “Invitation for Expression of Interest” (EOI) with application for AUCTION of Mobile License/Spectrum (3G/4G/LTE [long term evolution] etc), the following questions needs answers to safeguard the national interest by all and sundry.

1. Why the LOW base price of US $ 155 Million for one Mobile Cellular License/Spectrum (800 MHz), when this license was sold for 291 US $ Million eight years ago in the year 2004? OK, it is being auctioned for 8 years instead of 15 years, but is there no premium for above 68 % mobile teledensity which was not there eight years ago?

2. Why the license will be technology neutral? Which means no licenses will be required for any future launches of 4G, 5G so on so forth. this also means selling all future long term evolution inductions free of cost. This happens no where in the world. Even in Pakistan when 2G was sold in 2004, it was not permitted to launch 3G without fresh license. So why now 4G onwards is being sold free of cost?

3.i. Why the LOW base price of US $ 210 Million for the auction of Three Mobile Cellular Licenses/Spectrum (1900/211MHz/3G/4G/LTE etc.)?

3.ii. Here it should be noted that 2G license was auctioned by PTA in 2004 at US $ 291 Million, when there was much less teledensity than 68% as of now and in the next 15 years (the period for which new licenses are being auctioned), it will obviously increase to higher levels.

3.iii. And above all this auction is technology neutral, which means license for 3G is also valid for FREE for 4G, 5G onwards. Under this situation this base price of US $ 210 Million is ridiculously low.

4. As per IM (Information Memorandum) on PTA website all three telecom companies winning the technology neutral AUCTION of Mobile License/Spectrum (3G/4G/LTE [long term evolution] etc) will be required to pay half of the bid value within 30 days in USD or PKR. Also Rest of the amount can be paid in USD or PKR in five equal yearly installments. This virtually means that Telecom companies will NOT bring any fresh foreign investment and also the remaining 50% amount will be deposited on PAY AS YOU EARN basis. This tantamount to robbing the nation of valuable FDI in the garb of auction terms, particularly when bidding is only allowed in minimum 2 million USD and maximum 10 million USD. So when bidding is in USD, then why NOT payment should also be in USD?

5. Why PTA has shown less figures of total Teledensity of Pakistan (68.39) in 2010-11 at para 3.7 of (IM [information memorandum] on its website) whereas, according to its own figures in the graph shown in the para 3.7, the total comes to (68.43)?

6. Why the PTA advertisement published in the news papers of 24 January, 2012 states mobile teledensity as 62% against the figures of 64.9% shown in IM at their website?

7. Indian economy is about 7-9 times bigger than Pakistan, but it got IRS69 billion, that too, in April 2010, from it’s auction of ONLY 3G. Why our Finance Minister has kept a budgeted amount of ONLY $800 million as expected income from the auction of NOT only 3G but 4 & 5G as well?

Submitted for consideration and immediate corrective action before it is too late.

—————————————
It was reported recently on a TV channel, that Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Sheikh expects 800 million USD revenue, from the auction of 3G (fast Internet) license to telecom companies.

It is also reported that government has fixed the base price for auction to held on March 28 and 29, 2012 for 3G and 4G as 210 million USD. Whereas, 8 years ago 2G was sold at 291 million USD. (Please check and confirm this data from PTA).

Here, I must forewarn all and sundry, that under no circumstances, the worth of this auction amount can be less than 10 billion dollars. India got IRS69 billion from the same auction in April 2010 i.e. two years ago. Details are available at link:- https://www.snayyar.com/3g-telecom-technology-pakistan-can-earn-billions-of-usd-by-just-selling-air.html.

It will not be out of place to state that as reported today i.e., Wednesday 1 Feb. 2012 the Indian Supreme Court warned on Tuesday that corruption posed a “grave danger” to the world’s largest democracy quoted as above.

All patriotic citizens and institutions must be alert, lest we may not be cheated again, by those who sold our valuable national assets, for even less than the peanuts, in Musharraf era.

Honourable Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani,
 
AoA.
 
It will not be out of place to begin with a news item published in the news papers today i.e., Wednesday 1 Feb. 2012, stating that the Indian Supreme Court warned on Tuesday that corruption posed a “grave danger” to the world’s largest democracy quoted as below.
 
Quote ” Today corruption in our country not only poses a grave danger for the concept of constitutional governance, it also threatens the very foundation of Indian democracy and the rule of law.” Unquote. The above was said by Justice A.K. Ganguly, while delivering a ruling in connection with the alleged underpriced selling of telecom licenses, which the national auditors says may have cost the country up to $39 billion.

An excerpt from a Times of India news published on Wednesday, 2nd Feb. 2012 is also given below for the information of Mr. Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, Finance Minister of Pakistan, who says he expects only $800 million from the COMBINED telecom auction of 3G, (4G LTE) and (5G LTE-A.) (India got $69 billion for ONLY 3G, exactly two years ago, as per TOI news quoted below.

“The 122 licences were given by Raja for over Rs 9,000 crore, while 3G auctions for a smaller number of licences had fetched the government a sum of Rs 69,000 crores.”

 
In the same context of selling of telecom licenses in Pakistan, a mega scandal is also brewing, for which your kind attention is invited to immediately intervene, so that the nefarious designs of  unscrupulous elements to defame the PPP and its government, is nipped in the bud.
 
                                          DETAILS OF THE CASE  

With the recent publication of the advertisement of PTA  in the news papers for “Invitation for Expression of Interest” (EOI) with application for AUCTION of Mobile License/Spectrum (3G/4G/LTE [long term evolution] etc), the following questions needs answers to safeguard the national interest by all and sundry.
 
1. Why the LOW base price of US $ 155 Million for one Mobile Cellular License/Spectrum (800 MHz), when this license was sold for 291 US $ Million eight years ago in the year 2002? OK, it is being auctioned for 8 years instead of 15 years, but is there no premium for above 68 % mobile teledensity which was not there eight years ago?
 
2. Why the license will be technology neutral? Which means no licenses will be required for any future launches of 4G, 5G so on so forth. this also means selling all future long term evolution inductions free of cost. This happens no where in the world. Even in Pakistan when 2G was sold in 2004, it was not permitted to launch 3G without fresh license. So why now 4G onwards is being sold free of cost?
 
3.i. Why the LOW base price of US $ 210 Million for the auction of Three Mobile Cellular Licenses/Spectrum (1900/211MHz/3G/4G/LTE etc.)? 
 
3.ii. Here it should be noted that 2G license was auctioned by PTA in 2002 at US $ 291 Million, when there was much less teledensity than 68% as of now and in the next 15 years (the period for which new licenses are being auctioned), it will obviously increase to higher levels. 
 
3.iii. And above all this auction is technology neutral, which means license for 3G is also valid for FREE for 4G, 5G onwards. Under this situation this base price of US $ 210 Million is ridiculously low.
 
4. As per IM (Information Memorandum) on PTA website all three telecom companies winning the technology neutral AUCTION of Mobile License/Spectrum (3G/4G/LTE [long term evolution] etc) will be required to pay half of the bid value within 30 days in USD or PKR. Also Rest of the amount can be paid in USD or PKR in five equal yearly installments. This virtually means that Telecom companies will NOT bring any fresh foreign investment and also the remaining 50% amount will be deposited on PAY AS YOU EARN basis. This tantamount to robbing the nation of valuable FDI in the garb of auction terms, particularly when bidding is only allowed in minimum 2 million USD and maximum 10 million USD. So when bidding is in USD payment should also be in USD.
 
5. Why PTA has shown less figures of total Teledensity of Pakistan (68.39) in 2010-11 at para 3.7 of (IM [information memorandum] on its website) whereas, according to its own figures in the graph shown in  the para 3.7, the total comes to (68.43)?
 
6. Why the PTA advertisement published in the news papers of 24 January, 2012 states mobile teledensity as 62% against the figures of 64.9% shown in IM at their website? 

7. India is not 70 times bigger than Pakistan in economy or any way, but it got $69 billion, that too, two years ago, from it’s auction of ONLY 3G. Why our Finance Minister has kept a budgeted amount of ONLY $800 million as expected income from the auction of NOT only 3G but 4 & 5G as well?

 
Submitted for consideration and immediate corrective action before it is too late.

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It was reported recently on a TV channel, that Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Sheikh expects 800 million USD revenue, from the auction of 3G (fast Internet) license to telecom companies.
 
It is reported that government has fixed the base price for auction to held on March 28 and 29, 2012 for 3G and 4G as 210 million USD. Whereas, 8 years ago 2G was sold at 291 million USD. (Please check and confirm this data from PTA).
 
Here, I must forewarn all and sundry, that under no circumstances, the worth of this auction amount can be less than 10 billion dollars. India got 69 billion USD from the same auction in April 2010 i.e. two years ago. Details are available at link:- https://www.snayyar.com/3g-telecom-technology-pakistan-can-earn-billions-of-usd-by-just-selling-air.html.
 
It will not be out of place to state that as reported today i.e., Wednesday 1 Feb. 2012 the Indian Supreme Court warned on Tuesday that corruption posed a “grave danger” to the world’s largest democracy quoted as below.
 
All patriotic citizens and institutions must be alert, lest we may not be cheated again, by those who sold our valuable national assets, for even less than the peanuts, in Musharraf era.

Australian scientists have found that cooked tomatoes can have the same benefits as statins for patients battling against high cholesterol levels or high blood pressure, which can lead to heart problems.
Their study revealed tomatoes could be an effective alternative to statins, the class of drugs commonly prescribed for these conditions, reports the Daily Mail.
Tomatoes contain high levels of a powerful anti-oxidant, lycopene, which helps lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
The compound also gives the veggie its bright red colour when ripen.
Cooked tomatoes are best as tests showed the body can absorb more lycopene from these than raw fruit.
The experts, who analysed the results of 14 international studies into the benefits of lycopene over the past 55 years, concluded that it could provide a natural defence to raised levels of so-called ‘bad cholesterol’ – or low-density lipoprotein – in the blood.
The effect was comparable to small doses of statins that are used to treat patients with high cholesterol or blood pressure.
One of the study’s authors, Karin Ried, of the University of Adelaide, said half a litre of tomato juice or 50 grams of tomato paste daily ‘would provide protection against heart disease’.

Link:- http://nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/International/21-May-2011/Cooked-tomatoes-can-reduce-cholesterol-like-statins-Study