PTCL STRIKE HAMPERING BUSINESSES

KARACHI: The ongoing strike of the PTCL employees for the past one month has compelled businessmen and industrialists to switch over to other wireless communication (phone and internet services) in order to stay in touch with their local and foreign buyers.Industrialists said the government seemed reluctant to play any role in resolving the conflict, which is hampering business activities. “PTCL is also losing both the revenue and its clientele,” they added.

Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI) Chairman Razzak Hashim Paracha said that 42,000 phones were reportedly dead in the city alone.

“Around 800 phones in Korangi area are down right now for the last one month,” Razzak said, adding that he had written a letter to the prime minister seeking his intervention for resolving the issue between the PTCL management and workers immediately.

He said due to the unavailabilty of PTCL DSL lines, many industrialists especially exporters had acquired wireless broadband being offered by various private companies as they could not afford to lose their buyers.

North Karachi Association of Trade and Industry chairman Sadiq Mohammad said that 2,000 units had been at the mercy of PTCL as the development work for the last three years in the area had almost destroyed the landline system. “Perturbed by the PTCL many industrialists have switched over to wireless mode of communication,” he added.

F.B. Area Association of Trade and Industry Chairman Shahid Ismail said that out of 2,000 units, the connectivity services including telephone, fax and internet etc., had been out of order in 30-40 per cent units in the area.

“This is a high time for the wireless internet and phone providers after getting demand as many businessmen have hired their services,” he said.

Salim Parekh, the chairman of SITE Association of Industry (SAI), said the industrialists now preferred to switchover to wireless, mobile services from providers other than PTCL. “It will be revenue loss for PTCL when the trust deficit converts into total switchover from PTCL to other service providers,” he added.

He said PTCL was not receiving complaints against the recurring interruptions and reported faults in PTCL services. “The ongoing strike has given another reason for PTCL officials in SITE area to seek excuses for not attending the faults.”

Many members of the association including Diamond Textile (Pvt) Ltd, Al-Azmat (Pvt) Ltd, Razak Silk Mills (Pvt) Ltd, Zeenat Shirt Factory, Nawab Brothers Steel Mills (Pvt) Ltd, Futehally Chemicals (Pvt) Ltd, Z.K. Industries etc., are also complaining of recurring faults and no relief has been retrieved to them so far.

He said the these businesses are some of the biggest taxpayers and contribute economically in the form of a great percentage of all Pakistani exports and deserve fair treatment, possibly with the pressure of government of Pakistan and Privatisation Commission in terms of promised improved services.

By: Aamir Shafaat Khan, 3rd Sep, 2010
Modified From: www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/business/switch-over-to-wireless-mode-begins-ptcl-strike-hampering-business-activities-390