Bill to Amend PTA Re-organization Act Sent to Cabinet for Approval

The Cabinet Division has sent the draft amendment to the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organization) (Amendment) Act 2006. Sources in the Cabinet Division told ProPakistani that after the vetting of the Ministry of Law and Justice, the Cabinet Division sent the draft amendment to the PTA Act to the Cabinet Committee for Disposal of Legislative Cases (CCLC). After getting approval from CCLC, the draft amendment of the PTA Act has been sent to the Federal Cabinet. After the approval of the federal cabinet, the bill to amend the PTA Act will be presented in the parliament, after the approval of the National Assembly and the Senate, the bill will go to the President, from where it will become a law if approved. According to sources, the Cabinet Division has received over 35 applications for the position of Member Administration Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). The federal government has constituted two committees for assessing and shortlisting candidates. One committee consisting of Cabinet Division officials will assess the candidates, while another committee consisting of federal ministers and secretaries will take care of the shortlisting process. According to cabinet division officials, by amending the PTA Act, the administrative powers of the Chairman PTA are being reduced as well as the right of casting a vote is being given to the Chairman PTA. If there is an equality of votes among the 4 members of the authority on any issue, then the Chairman PTA will have the power to have a double vote or a deciding vote. The Federal Government has already given approval for an amendment in the PTA Rules 2013 to increase the number of members of the Authority from three to four. It should be noted that a new post of Member Administration has been created in PTA.