Islamabad:
A sub -committee for the Na Standing Committee on Information Technology met on Thursday to review the ongoing question of outstanding quota owed by long -distance and international (LDI) companies for PTA.
The panel decided to seek legal opinion from the Ministry of Justice regarding the question of recovery.
During the meeting, the PTA chairman declared that the authority is not authorized to allow installments-based payments for the recovery of the quota from LDI operators. “PTA does not have the authority to restructure or postpone payment of taxes in installments,” he said.
The PTA chairman added that several rounds have been held with meetings with the breach of LDI companies, but their attitude towards repayment of fees remains different.
“After hearing their views, we have issued letters to the companies and a clear decision has been conveyed; outstanding quota must be paid fully, including late payment fees,” he noted.
The LDI representatives stated that they had offered PTA to pay the main amount in installments and expressed emergency preparedness to issue post-dated control.
PTA insisted that all quota, including late fees, to be deposited into an Escrow account.
The LDI representatives maintained that there was a lack of clarity in government policy on the renewal of their licenses.
The IT Secretary noted that the question of quota with the LDI companies was not “straightforward” and noted that each company had a different position. “No matter what decision the government is making, will also set a precedent for recovery of fees in other sectors,” he noted.
The PTA chairman revealed that not all LDI companies have agreed to pay the main amount.
