Pakistan's mobile phone market is heating up, with four current operators scrambling to outwit each other in marketing gimmicks to add to their customer base. The country of 150 million people has a relatively small proportion of cellular phone users - an estimated 4 million - but the demand is growing spectacularly, a far cry from 1991 when first operator introduced the wireless service. Then it was considered a luxury and a toy for the filthy rich. Not anymore. Now working men motorcycling to work can be seen carrying the small gadgets, tucked away nicely into trouser pockets. Small-time businessmen have come to regard cell phone as an essential tool to help grow their business. The country's telecom watchdog, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), has set a target of 25 million mobile phone users by year 2018. Considering the current pace of demand, the target does not looks too ambitious. The newest player in the market, Ufone, a subsidiary of the state-owned PTCL, caused Pakistanis to run amok with its free connection offer for just four days - from August 14 to 17 - to coincide with the nation's Independence-day celebrations. Thousands of people stood in long queues under scorching sun to accept the offer. Impatient customers in some cases broke windowpanes of the company offices and fought with each other. Those who could get hold of connection forms sold them for a premium. All this chaos was just for a saving of 1,000 rupees (17 dollars). The company bosses had to withdraw the offer a day earlier than scheduled in view of crowds mad rush and violence it had caused. --more 1340 Local Time 1040 GMT
