NAB role in auctioning unsold spectrum turns down

Aftab Ahmed

Islamabad: The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) turns down a NAB representation proposal in an Advisory Committee. IT ministry intends to release the unsold spectrum for telecom companies.

The IT Ministry proposed NAB representatives in the advisory committee to avoid issues in the future. The summary of the IT ministry is presented before ECC for approval.

Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh chaired the meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet here at the Cabinet Division.

For the release of the Next Generation Mobile Services (NGMS) Spectrum in Pakistan for the improvement of mobile broadband services, ECC approved the formation of an Advisory Committee to release the unsold spectrum for NGMS.

The Committee’s composition is as follows: Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance & Revenue (Chairman), Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication, Adviser to PM on Commerce, Minister for Industries and Production, Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives besides other members.

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Terms of Reference of the Committee (ToRs) would be:

1) To examine and evaluate the market assessment report. It will also look into recommendations of the Authority for the release of the maximum NGMS spectrum in Pakistan.

2) To examine and finalize the Federal Government’s policy directives for releasing the NGMS spectrum in Pakistan.

3) Top oversee the release process to be conducted by PTA.

The ECC also approved the amendment in its earlier decision related to subsidizing Naya Pakistan Housing and Development Authority.

The amended and approved decision states, “approval of allocation of Rs. 33,095 million on account of 10 years markup subsidy on loans with tenor up to 20 years with a supplementary grant of Rs 4,774 million on account of markup payment during the current financial year (FY 2020-21).

ECC also approved the continuation of concessionary electricity and RLNG for export-oriented sectors (erstwhile zero-rated sectors).

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The Power Division has worked out that for July-August 2020, the electricity to export-oriented sectors may be provided at US cents 7.5/kWh all-inclusive and thereafter at US Cents 9/kWh all-inclusive for the rest of the financial year 2020-21.

The ECC also decided that the Finance Division will continue with the existing guarantee of 31 billion for the power sector through the Power Holding Company (PHL).