As if not enough is being done to derail the provision of telecom and internet services across Pakistan, a dispute between Long Distance & International (LDI) operators and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) now stands to disrupt the entire digital ecosystem of the country. The PTA, IT ministry and even the all-important Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) have taken urgent notice and are unsuccessfully grappling with possible solutions for the matter.Â
As the authorities try to resolve what could be the result of systemic incompetence. The public stands to, once again, lose connectivity.
But what is the issue? At the heart of it lies a regulatory battle over the Access Promotion Contribution (APC), a form of levy introduced in 2003 as part of the country’s telecom deregulation policy. But that is not all, taxes on international calls, collected by provincial governments have also been deemed unjust by some of the operators demanding a renewal of their licences, without the imposition of a quid pro quo as intimated by the PTA. The content in this publication is expensive to produce. But unlike other journalistic outfits, business publications have to cover the very organizations that directly give them advertisements. Hence, this large source of revenue, which is the lifeblood of other media houses, is severely compromised on account of Profit’s no-compromise policy when it comes to our reporting. No wonder, Profit has lost multiple ad deals, worth tens of millions of rupees, due to stories that held big businesses to account. Hence, for our work to continue unfettered, it must be supported by discerning readers who know the value of quality business journalism, not just for the economy but for the society as a whole.To read the full article, subscribe and support independent business journalism in Pakistan
