ISPAK: MEETING IN ISLAMABAD REGARDING ROYALTY

[Saad Saleem]

Dear Friends, As most of you know some eighteen ISPAK members filed a legal reference with PTA against charging any royalty. PTA did not reply to this petition for almost two months despite reminders by our council so we went to the High Court in a writ against PTA. The High Court granted us a stay and ordered PTA to decided the reference within 30 days failing which they will take the decision. This decision was announced by the High Court last week and we have now received an official invitation from PTA to sit with them and sort this issue out and the date which was fixed by PTA for the formal hearing is July 29 . Incidentally this happens to be Sunday therefore we have requested PTA to announce a new date on any convenient time . All the members which filed the reference are meeting from 11am - 1pm sharp in Islamabad Marriott to finalize the strategy so that our council can then meet PTA and decide the matter in the best interest of all. I feel this is great opportunity for our other friends in ISPAK who were not part of this petition to also join us so we can work out one cohesive strategy. We have an opportunity here to come up with a joint stand/strategy which is fair to both the ISP's and PTA as a regulator so that this matter can be put behind us for good. Regards Saad Saleem