Exclusive Flare Report
pk
O
ne must learn from his mistakes
because history repeats itself. Why am
I saying this? To do something wrong
is not a mistake but to repeat it. We
seldom learn from mistakes because we go on
repeating them. We think that erecting few
towers, starting some franchisers, presenting some
colourful ads and spending few millions in a land
show the commitment and loyalty of some foreign
company to our land. We are wrong. They are
earning for themselves, not for us. It is business.
I think there remain some ideological, cultural
and historical gaps and clashes between two
countries that must not be forgotten in business.
Many companies that are making billions in
Pakistan belong to those countries whose
ideologies either don’t accept us or disapprove us.
Telenor acquired the license for providing
GSM services in Pakistan in April 2004, and had
launched its services commercially in Islamabad,
Rawalpindi and Karachi on 15 March 2005. On 23
March, 2005 Telenor started its services in Lahore,
KARACHI, PAKISTAN, FEB 15: Protestors shout slogans
against Denmark in Karachi.
Faisalabad and Hyderabad. During these four
years, Telenor has seen different periods from a
struggling company to a competing one but the
00 unfinished story is not as simple as it feels.
This Norwegian company has seen and will
see tough time in Pakistan. All of us remember the
time when newspapers from Denmark and
Norway published sketches of our beloved Holy
Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (SAW). Muslims
around the world were in turmoil and have no
way to recover the pain. There was so much
hatred and protest that the respective newspapers
were shocked.
Despite of how far apart or how much
contradiction exists between different Muslims
Boycott the Norway
petitionspot.com/petitions/boy
cotttelenor
Norwegian newspaper (Magazinet editor
and its Editor-in-chief Vebjoern Selbekk)
offended almost 1.6 billion Muslims around the
world by publishing a cartoon of the Prophet
Mohammed, a terrorist that is carrying bombs
on his head! This is not just offending Muslims,
it is also offending the whole world, since
Prophets of God are holy messengers of peace
that came to spread peace and good will to all
people including Prophet Moses, Prophet Jesus,
Prophet Noah, Prophet Abraham etc.
'Denmark has offended millions of Muslims.
Muslims are not in doubt at any rate that they
have been slandered and even Norway
president don’t apologised to Muslim world
saying "We will not apologise because in a
country like Norway, which guarantees the
countries, they all unite against those who tried to
disrespect their Prophet because they share same
history and teachings. In that time a boycott was
observed in almost all parts of the world against
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Denmark and Norwegian companies. Among
those protest the most criticised company was
Telenor.
Telenor like all other Norwegian companies is
nurturing its mother land and Muslims registered
strong contempt against the presence of a
communication company like Telenor particularly
in Pakistan and generally in other Muslim
countries. We are focusing here on Pakistanis’
reaction towards Telenor.
India has always remained a tough
freedom of expression, we cannot apologise for
what the newspapers" print, Prime Minister Jens
Stoltenberg told Norwegian daily NTB.
Norwegian troops have killed innocent
Muslims in Afghanistan helping the invaders so
Norway should withdraw all of its troops from
Afghanistan. Norway should hand over Runar
Søgaard, a 37-year-old Norwegian Preacher to
OIC as he has spoken against Prophet
Muhammad.
Telenor Pakistan is a company from Telenor
Norway. To bring the Norway Government into
senses and record our peaceful protest we will
not
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Until Telenor puts pressure on President of
Norwegian Parliament Storing, Mr Jørgen
Kosmo to apologise to all Muslims and hand
over Vebjoern Selbekk to Custody of OIC
Victory Belongs to Muslims
neighbour for us. We spent millions to keep our
army up to date on the boarder. In an eye wink,
India can launch any kind of attack in Pakistan.
It is also perceived that RAW is involved in
Free download | flare.com.pk Exclusive

Technical Officer of Telenor

Pakistan is now given the Telenor has lost Azim ul Haq,
responsibility to head Unitech
Wireless, Telenor’s arm in
Marketing head and
India. Jehanzeb Taj sales head,
It is feared that Telenor
Pakistan will be controlled who were key roles for
through an office in Dubai, if driving Telenor to the
position where it is today.
not from India. Flare was told
by sources that senior
management
Pakistan,
of
including
Telenor
Irfan
Jehanzeb Taj, a very credible
Wahab Khan, Senior Executive personal in Telecom industry
Vice President, Javed Jaffery,
Manager Marketing and others
is considered as guru of
largely stays in Dubai. My Sales and Distribution left for
Mobilink, while Azim ul Haq,
ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN, FEB 13: Pakistani Muslim protestors shout slogans question is what do they do in
against Denmark government outside Telenor office to condemn the Dubai? Even if these are their
another giant in the field of
publication of cartoons.
domestic tours then there is no
attack on Sri Lankan team at Liberty round need of staying in Dubai for 20 days out of 30 in
about. One thing is evident that Pakistan and month. Marketing has left the
company to move on
India can never be friends despite of all Dosti We know that Telenor has lost Azim ul Haq,
Bus Services and what not. Marketing head and Jehanzeb Taj sales head,
Those foreign companies who are working in who were key roles for driving Telenor to the
Pakistan can never know the importance of position where it is today. Jehanzeb Taj, a very in India where Telenor has recently bought
being a Pakistani. credible personal in Telecom industry was ownership stake in Unitech Wireless.”
Besides, these considered as guru of Sales and Distribution left Email further said, “The candidate selected
companies can for Mobilink, while Azim ul Haq, another giant as the new CTO, Mr Sanjay Vaghasia, is a
never understand in the field of Marketing has left the company to Malaysian by three generations and is currently
the decades old move on. coming to us from Kuwait, Wataniya Telecoms
controversies (a QTCL Group Company) where he was
Telenor Management, instead of betting
prevailing between these slots divided the departments in sub serving since 2004. Mr Vaghasia has extensive
the boarders of departments with heads who international experience in implementation, IT,
India and Pakistan. were just the managers
They can do earlier. All this shows that
nothing except all how closely they are
that is in their watching their stakes in
interest. India; at the same time,
Tore Johnson Dynamics of Telenor is looking to keep the
Ex-CEO Telenor Pakistan
Telecom industry in management out of Pakistan
Pakistan has been reshaping with market due to various concerns.
leaders struggling with management and sales As a Pakistani, these
while new comers are demonstrating excellent connections of Telenor with
stats not only in terms of sales but managing Indian companies (and
their resources as well. This change is not maybe the Government) are
sudden, instead it gradually started appearing very serious, and one may
when cellular companies started losing their think otherwise, especially in
interest and focus towards the customers. a scenario when Mr Sanjay
Vaghasia is appointed as
To know Telenor’s stance new CTO of Telenor Pakistan; KARACHI, PAKISTAN, FEB 12: Pakistani Muslims protestors burn a telenor banner

over the situation, when we

who is an Indian by during a protest rally to condemn the publication of cartoons
nationality. One may ask such a level post in a
planning, network engineering, and 3G. We are
asked Telenor if it is true that major company of Pakistan is assigned to an
Indian?
currently working on an agreement for his
ex-CTO Telenor has moved We being journalists, leave this question
joining date.”
Clearly, Hasnat didn’t mention that he was
to India to head Telenor’s open for intelligence agencies to investigate and
look into issue closely. And I suspect, the issues
denied for a Visa, instead he is still hoping that

arm in the country, while

they will get an Indian guy for top level
is already in the notice of higher authorities and
management at Telenor.
new CTO, who is an Indian
law enforcement agencies of Pakistan that is
I am sure if this happens that Mr Sanjay
why Mr Sanjay Vaghasia was denied for
Vaghasia reaches Pakistan, there may be
by nationality, and brought Pakistani Visa.
To know Telenor’s stance over the Sanjay
consequences that Pakistani Government and
up in Malaysia, was refused Vaghasia, when we asked Telenor if it is true
people of Pakistan will have to face. Kept aside,
if there is no problem with Mr Sajnay Vaghasia,
for Pakistani visa that ex-CTO Telenor has moved to India to head
Telenor’s arm in the country, while new CTO,
even then why should Telenor not appoint a
Pakistani at this post? Or some other national,
who is an Indian by Nationality, and brought up
Telenor was going pretty smoothly under in Malaysia, is refused for Pakistani Visa; Syed why Indian? This is only for a reason that
Tore Johnson, ex-CEO of Telenor Pakistan but Hasnat Telenor International is now maybe diverting its
Masood, Director Corporate
down the road it started losing its core pillars in Communications, Telenor Pakistan, responded source of inflows.
management and sales network. One can also in following manner through an email sent to Keeping all this discussion in the view,
argue that this shift of interest diverted us, Telenor should realise that they are liable to a
significantly when Telenor purchased stakes in country from where they got multiple folds on
“It is true that Telenor Pakistan’s previous
an Indian company. As evidence, let me share Chief Technology Officer, Mr Peter Anthony revenues when compared to investment. But if
an example, Mr Peter Anthony Dindial. Chief Dindial, has moved onwards for an assignment they are planning to wrap up their business in
the country, then it’s up to them.
00