Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is going to sue Reuters for its false reporting on the issue of bids submitted by telecom companies for 3G and 4g auction
Just after one day of submitting bids by potentials bidders of auction process, Reuters filed the news that received bids were far less than the expectations of Government of Pakistan and this ‘dismal’ response might even lead to halting of auction process. This created an air of mis-leading speculations in telecom circles and fuel was added when all the local media outlets reported the story without confirmation from authority.
An official of PTA has said that the legal work is on the way for suing UK based news agency. Official said that once the process of auction is completed there will be a formal filing of the case. Official was mum on the damages that would be claimed in the lawsuit. Authority official said that this step was taken as a precautionary measure so that in future no media outlet tries to malign the investment opportunities in the telecom sector of Pakistan.
Although all the local news channels followed the story but PTA is only going to be suing the international media outlet because according to official they were all following the story that was published by Reuters. Although no one of them tried first to take the official opinion but because they all quoted Reuters in their story so telecom watchdog was going after Reuters.
Language of the story showed as if it is being written with support from anti-Pakistan factions who don’t want to see Pakistan progress. Such lobbies are at work ever since plans were made for auction of 3G and 4G licenses. Several petitions have been filed and even the worthy legislators in the parliament are opposing auction process. Just a day before auction, a writ petition has been filed in Supreme Court Lahore registry asking judiciary to ban the process despite clear verdict of same Supreme Court who gave full support to on-going 3G & 4G process by issuing orders.
