ISLAMABAD ( ABRAR MUSTAFA )
The winners of 3G/4G auction have paid their advance tax today at Federal Board of Revenue. They will be paying their spectrum fees tomorrow at Pakistan Telecom Authority. Today (Tuesday) more than US $110 million was deposited by four cellular in state exchequer. This has hinted strongly that licenses will be officially awarded to the winners on 22nd May. This is a positive sign for the telecom industry as the advance tax was the only issue that was postponing the issuing of licenses. The telecom companies had shown reservations on the advance tax which resulted in postponement on 10th May and then on 17th May (World Telecom day).
On Wednesday the winners of 3G/4G spectrum Mobilink and CMPAK (ZONG) will pay licenses fee in Pakistan Telecom Authority. Pakistan will award 3G and 4G licenses to all four cellular operators on May 22nd , a new telecom day in Pakistan for 2014, an official of the Pakistan Ministry of IT and Telecom confirmed. It was earlier planned to award licenses on May 17, a day, when the entire world celebrate World Telecom Day but the ceremony has been delayed further due to a tight schedule of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who has been requested to witness the landmark event in the history of Telecommunication in Pakistan.