KARACHI: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has issued Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for telecommunication and internet companies to establish cross border bilateral/transit communication links with neighboring countries. Recently, the government had allowed private telecommunication and internet companies to sign agreements with neighboring countries for internet services and telephone traffic using satellite, wireless and submarine networks.In this regard, PTA has been mandated to facilitate the process for approval/issuance of NOC for establishment of cross border links. According to the draft containing SOP issued by PTA, all Long Distance & International (LDI) licensees, Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd. (PTCL) and National Telecommunication Corporation (NTC) are allowed to establish cross border bilateral/transit communication links with neighboring countries of Pakistan via terrestrial fixed wireline/fixed wireless or satellite, under their respective licenses.“Every eligible licensee intending to establish cross border bilateral/transit communication links with neighboring countries of Pakistan via terrestrial fixed wireline/wireless or satellite shall require prior approval from PTA”, it added. PTA said every application for cross border link shall include valid agreement/Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with counterpart in other country, capacity and physical route of the link, type of traffic, expected volume of traffic, technical plan along with layouts, location of peering point and financial plan including expected revenue for the next 5 years.Meanwhile, Ministry of Information Technology & Telecommunication (MoIT&T), Government of Pakistan has constituted an Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) that consist various members for evaluation to grant approval/NOC or denial of every application/request for establishing cross border bilateral/transit communication links with neighboring countries of Pakistan via terrestrial fixed wireline/fixed wireless or satellite.The IMC is comprised of Chairman, PTA Convener, a representative from Cabinet Division {Secretary NTISB, a representative from Ministry of IT {Member (Telecom)}, a representative from IB {Director General or Director (Tech)}, and a representative from ISI {Director (ISI)} and a representative from Ministry of Interior {Deputy Secretary (Security)}. On the receipt of approval/NOC from the IMC members, PTA will initially grant Permit in Principle (PiP) with certain conditions as required by IMC members.Final/Formal approval shall be granted by PTA on many conditions which includes, obtaining satisfactory report from the concerned agencies regarding provision of national security, clearance report from Finance, Commercial Affairs, Licensing and Technical Services Divisions regarding clearance of all outstanding dues, satisfactory inspection report from Enforcement Division, PTA regarding fulfillment of other conditions as contained in PiP and fulfillment of requirements of any new policy for the time being enforced.
