LDI firms cannot be shut down, Senate committee told

The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunications was informed on Monday that the operations of Long Distance and International (LDI) companies cannot be shut down because of their strategic importance. Briefing the committee, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman retired Maj Gen Hafeezur Rehman said former IT secretary retired Captain Muhammad Mehmood had been removed soon after his unilateral decision regarding the renewal of LDI licences. When committee chairperson Palwasha Khan questioned the legal standing of the former secretary’s policy directive, the IT ministry’s member legal replied that ex-former had issued a policy directive, allowing the LDIs operators to pay fee in instalments, which was beyond his authority.