ISLAMABAD: Expressing surprise over online payment giant Paypal’s’ cold shoulder’ to Pakistani market, Finance Minister Asad Umar says he is ready to catch the next flight and meet the Paypal CEO to invite him to come to Pakistan.

In an interview with PTI social media, Umar said if Paypal didn’t come to Pakistan, then there must be some alternative of it.

“Either Paypal or any other alternate online payment system but in the next four months or so we should have an internationally acceptable payment gateway for the increasing number of startups in the country,” the minister added.

Read: Paypal sees ‘great opportunity’ in Pakistani market

Regarding closure of spectrum sales in Pakistan, Umar stated: “Spectrum sale has been shut down. Only 124 megahertz spectrum has been opened by Pakistan while even Myanmar has a higher number than 400 megahertz. Why are we still sticking to that? This is not a finite resource that could vanish.”

Before flying for the World Bank and IMF meetings, he said, “I had three meetings on this subject because this is the future,” stressed the minister.

“I have met Prime Minister Imran Khan and IT minister in the past few days just to make sure we are moving in the right direction in this regard,” the minister said.

WATCH

“I’m ready to catch a flight and go and meet @PayPal CEO and reps anywhere in the world to highlight potential of Pakistani market”. Says @Asad_Umar in his live session. “We have given ourselves a 4 month or so deadline to bring a universal gateway to Pakistan” #AsadUmarLive pic.twitter.com/oxm8yKbUhP

— PTI (@PTIofficial) October 13, 2018