The Hindu Business Line : Why row over Orascom, asks Pak official

Even as security agencies raise concerns over Egypt's Orascom acquiring indirect stake in Indian mobile venture Hutchison-Essar, the Chairman of the Pakistan Telecom Authority (PTA), General Shahzada Alam Malik, said on Thursday that it was unfair to bar the entry of any mobile operator just because it had investments in Pakistan.

Speaking on the sidelines of India Telecom 2006, Gen. Mallik said, "I don't understand the mere fact that one operator is operating in Pakistan and if they choose to operate in India, how does the security concern come in and vice versa. Of course, if there are any evidence against a company, then it can be investigated."

Gen. Mallik's statement assumes significance in the light of reports that Orascom was keen to increase its stake in the Hutchison-Essar. Indian security agencies had raised objections when Orascom, which also has mobile operations in Pakistan, acquired an indirect 10 per cent stake in Hutchison-Essar.

Gen. Mallik said that as far as PTA was concerned it did not have any instructions from the Pakistan Government to discriminate against any operator, including Indian service providers. "Indian operators are welcome to invest in Pakistan telecom sector. They can even take 100 per cent stake in any company in our country. We have no restrictions on FDI," he said.

On the proposed cable link between India and Pakistan, he said that the cable has been laid by Pakistan up to the Indian border and now it was up to the Indian side to complete its side of the project.

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