Orascom threat to India? Pak wonders

Amid reports of security concerns over Egypt's Orascom acquiring indirect stake in Hutch-Essar, Pakistan telecom regulator Shahzada Alam Malik wondered on Friday how a mobile operator working in his country could be a threat to India.

"I don't understand if Orascom chooses to operate in India, how does the security concern come in and vice versa. Of course, if there are any concerns it can be investigated," Malik, chairman of Pakistan Telecom Authority, said.

He was asked to comment on security concerns raised in the country over Orascom, a key mobile player in Pakistan, acquiring an indirect 10 per cent stake in India's third largest private mobile operator Hutch-Essar.

"But I don't think just because they are operating in Pakistan, you don't allow them in India unless there is evidence against them. They are just like any other operator," Malik told reporters on the sidelines of India Telecom Summit.

As far as PTA was concerned it did not have any instructions from the Pakistan Government to discriminate against any operator, he said.

"There should be no refusal to any one... And not just Orascom, Telenor of Norway is also an operator in the country and we have no reservations," he added.

Although Malik refused to comment when asked whether he found Indian telecom regulatory environment restrictive, he said: "We have no restrictions, no cap on FDI."

India has a cap of 74 per cent on foreign investment in the telecom sector.

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