KARACHI: Pakistan is planning to hold its long-delayed auction of 3G telecommunications licences by March, hoping to raise $2bn with the sale, the government said yesterday.
A statement said the decision was taken at a meeting of the Spectrum Auction License Committee held in Islamabad, chaired by finance minister Ishaq Dar. “Pakistan expects to earn an estimated US$2.0bn through the auction of three spectrum licenses,” Dar was quoted as saying.
In the current fiscal year, Pakistan had budgeted to raise $1.2bn through 3G licenses.
Earlier, the minister had informed a delegation from Norwegian telecom conglomerate Telenor that the government was planning to auction the next generation spectrum licenses by March.
Telenor, China Mobile and Pakistan-based Mobilink have already shown interest in bidding for the 3G licences.
Pakistan is battling to overcome macroeconomic problems through privatisation of state-run enterprises and a spate of fiscal-tightening measures.
The International Monetary Fund approved a $6.7bn loan package for Pakistan in September last year, subject to strict economic reforms, particularly in its troubled energy sector and tax system.
AFP
