MOBILINK'S EGYPTIAN CEO FIRED
Chairman accused of attempt to assassinate CEO!

Differences between the Orascom Telecom Holding and its local Pakistani partners of Mobilink, Pakistan's largest mobile phone operator, came to a head last week when the company's chairman Javed Saifullah Khan fired Egyptian CEO Al Barry.

Al. F. Barry also the Vice Chairman of Orascom Telecom, was previously Chief Financial Officer of Orascom Telecom Holding, S.A.E in 1999. He was instrumental in preparing Orascom for its initial public offering in 2000 and listing the company on London stock exchange as well as Cairo and Alexandria stock exchange. Mr. Barry started his career as an associate with Arthur Andersen & Co., and then moved to Deloitte & Touche as a Senior Manager. Mr. Barry holds a Bachelors Degree in Finance, an MBA and is a CPA and a CMA.

Assassination attempt
The top mobile phone company in Pakistan, Mobilink was split into two parts after its chief executive Al Barry Thursday decided to shift the plant and machinery from Kalsoom Plaza to Habib Bank Building. Al Barry, Chief Executive of Mobilink took this decision after Saifullah Brothers, who have only 9% shares in the company confiscated the plant and machinery of the company on February 3 2003. They also deployed their own guards and refused to allow its Chief Executive and his supporters to enter the company building Kalsoom Plaza in Blue Aea. Kalsoom Plaza is Saifullah Brothers' property.

Al Barry on Feb. 3 recorded a statement in Kohisar Police Station that the company's chairman Javed Saifullah had occupied company's office in Blue Area.

A police source said Mr Barry had filed a complaint with Kohsar police station alleging that the chairman had been responsible for an attempt on his life last month. Barry narrowly escaped an assassination attempt when unidentified gunmen fired on his car in Islamabad.

Two more applications were filed with the same police station by the employees of the company. Rifat Jabin filed an application on behalf of Mr Barry saying the chairman had no authority to terminate his services. The application said that a senior civil judge of Peshawar had given a stay order to Mr Khan in the dispute over his chairmanship. It added that in the backdrop of the stay order, the chairman could not dismiss the CEO. Another application was filed by Brigadier Fazl Rehman against Mr Barry, in which he accused the former CEO of threatening Mobilink employees.

The Egyptian embassy has also been contacted by the 'sacked' CEO and "the diplomatic channels are also active behind the scene to settle the issue," said an official source.

Pakistan's Securities and Exchange Commission will probe the row amongst the stakeholders of Pakistan Mobile Communications Ltd. (Mobilink) a statement issued by the regulator Friday said the commission is holding the investigation after reports of a dispute among the company's directors.

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman asked the cellular operator, Mobilink to resolve the internal organizational problems and improve the fast deteriorating mobile phone services of the company.

The Chairman of Mobilink had informed the PTA Chairman that firing the services of the company Chief Executive Officer is internal matter of the organization and he as the Chairman has full authority to sack any employee.

Sources: Mobilink.com; PakNews.com; The Business Recorder; Paksitan Tribune; The Daily Times