Pakistan parliamentary committees probe telecom service quality and overcharging

Pakistan's parliamentary committees are intensifying scrutiny of the telecommunications sector following widespread complaints regarding poor mobile and internet service quality. The National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication has moved to summon telecom companies to address declining network performance, noting that service quality has worsened following recent spectrum auctions.

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is facing criticism from lawmakers for failing to effectively penalize operators. While the PTA has issued show-cause notices and warning letters, committee members questioned whether existing fines are sufficient to compel improvement. The PTA noted that companies frequently use court stay orders to avoid penalties, which can reach up to Rs350 million.

Simultaneously, the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication is preparing to address significant financial and regulatory issues. A major audit report alleges that the operator Jazz overcharged mobile users by approximately Rs6.58 billion. The committee is also investigating an $800 million outstanding debt involving Etisalat from the privatization of PTCL.

Other agenda items for the Senate committee include the rebranding of Ufone to ‘e&’ following its merger with Telenor, updates on Starlink’s potential entry into the market, and the enforcement of Telecom Competition Rules.