Copy to public forums for help in highlighting this matter
Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry,
Chief Justice of Pakistan
Supreme Court of Pakistan
Constitution Avenue, Islamabad
Telephone: 051-9220581-9220600
Fax: 051-9213452
SUBJECT : Huge Scam - Outflow of Billions of dollars from Pakistan by Foreign owned LDI Companies in Pakistan
Dear Sir,
On 1st October 2012 , Overseas Pakistanis got a huge shock when they dialed their loved ones in Pakistan. Instead of paying $ 0.04 (Rs 3) per minute, they were charged $0.14 (Rs14) per minute. In comparison call to India and China costs less than $0.01 (Rs 1) per min and to Bangladesh only $0.02 (Rs2) per min . Government claimed by charging overseas Pakistanis more will bring extra revenue . However they failed to tell the full story . This is actually a huge scam to benefit some foreign owned LDI companies who will destroy Pakistan's precious foreign reserves by sending billions of dollars out of Pakistan and reducing the amount of Remittance overseas Pakistani send to Pakistan
Attached with this letter is an Advertisement published on 16th October 2012 on front page of all major News Papers by Long Distance International (LDI ) companies in Pakistan. These LDIs have grouped together to form single monopoly consortium called International Clearing House (ICH) and increased rate. In the advertisement they have mentioned that in just 15 days their ICH consortium has earned Rs3.78 billion and another Rs0.84 billion for Government (USF) . But they failed to mention who owns these LDIs. The fact is that all these LDIs are owned by foreign companies and investors . This means that in the last fifteen days alone Rs3.78 billion earned by ICH which is money gotten from overseas Pakistanis will be handed over to these foreign companies by Government for outward flow of precious dollars from Pakistan
Here is a list of LDIs and their foreign owners and investors
1. Link Direct International Pakistan- Owned by Orasom Telecom holding, Egypt
2. Worldcall LDI - Owned by Oman tel , Oman
3. Redtone Telecom Pakistan - previously owned by Redtone Malaysia, now owned by Quantum Global , Indian , USA investors
4. Wi-tribe - owned by Qatar telecom , Qatar
5. Wise Communication Systems , Owned by International Telecommunication Service (SRL), Italy
6. Dancom Pakistan- previously owned by Dancom Group Malaysia now owned by Orascom Telecom . Egypt
7. Telenor Pakistan LDI Communications - Telenor Group Norway
8. Wateen Telecom Pakistan - owned by Abu Dhabi Group , UAE
9. Multinet Pakistan - owned by Axiata Group , Malaysia
10. Circlenet Communication LDI owned by Circle Net UAE and foreign investors
11. Telecard owned by Sanjiv Ahuja , Augere Holdings , Indian and other foreign investors
12. ADG LDI owned by Dollar East Exchange Company and unknown number of investors
Sir these LDIs were given licenses in 2004 to bring competition for PTCL, instead they various corrupt methods and managed to form one monopoly single company and worked out a quota deal with PTCL . Now just like before 2004, only PTCL is handling all international calls , while Rest of the LDIs are doing nothing , they will just collect cheque amounting to billions each month and send them overseas to their parent companies
Sir Your requested to investigate how these LDIs managed to form an illegal consortium and why PTA , MoIT, are supporting them . Their licenses have no such provision to form consortium nor fixing rate therefore licenses should be canceled for trying to do illegal activities , spreading corruption and damaging Pakistan . Sir as a patriot overseas Pakistani, I have no problem paying higher for calling Pakistan but all these billions of precious foreign exchange must stay within Pakistan. It is requested that PTA should be instructed to form a pure Pakistani entity to run international calls to keep this important source of precious foreign exchange in Pakistan.
Best regards,
Saeed Ahmed
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
msaeedpk1964@gmail.com
Copy to following for help in pursuing this matter with Chief Justice :
1. Competition Authority of Pakistan
2. Chairman Pakistan Telecom Authority
3. Secretary Ministry of IT and Telecom
4. All intelligence agencies
5. All major news papers
6. All political parties
7. All public forums
8. Consumer Welfare Forum
9. Helpline Trust
10. Consumers Association of Pakistan
11. Supreme Court Bar Association
References
Future of ICH Trembles After It Gets Suspended by Lahore High Court