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3 clusters · 5 sources · 11 days · First seen · Last updated

Pakistan telecommunications regulatory scrutiny

Overview

Pakistan’s telecommunications sector remains under intense scrutiny from parliamentary committees and regulators due to declining service quality and allegations of financial misconduct. Lawmakers have investigated reports of poor mobile and internet performance following spectrum auctions, while also addressing claims that the operator Jazz overcharged users by approximately Rs6.58 billion. Additionally, regulatory concerns have been raised regarding an $800 million outstanding debt involving Etisalat.

In response to service issues, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has intensified its enforcement actions. Following a directive issued on September 19, 2026, the PTA ordered mobile operators to resolve 5G coverage gaps in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi by an October deadline. This mandate requires the installation of new mobile sites and the deployment of new spectrum bands, specifically targeting major commuter routes such as the Kashmir Highway and Islamabad Expressway.

Furthermore, the PTA has begun imposing significant financial penalties on operators for failing to meet Quality of Service (QoS) standards under the Cellular Mobile Quality of Service Regulations, 2021. Telenor Pakistan was fined Rs68.055 million, while Pakistan Telecom Mobile Limited (PTML) and CMPak Limited (Zong) were each fined Rs38.889 million. These penalties follow nationwide surveys and re-verification exercises conducted to monitor performance indicators across the country.

Entities

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority · Islamabad · Rawalpindi · Jazz · Zong

Timeline

  1. 1 day ago

    [BUSINESS] 2 sources
    Pakistan Telecommunication Authority mandates 5G improvements and fines operators

    Pakistan's telecom regulator has ordered mobile operators to fix 5G coverage in Islamabad and Rawalpindi by October and fined Telenor, Zong, and PTML for failing to meet service quality standards.

  2. 3 days ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources
    Pakistan Telecommunication Authority mandates coverage fixes by October 2026

    The PTA has ordered Pakistani mobile operators to fix coverage gaps in Islamabad and Rawalpindi by October 2026, following a QoS survey where Jazz dominated performance in most cities.

  3. 12 days ago

    [BUSINESS] 2 sources
    Pakistan parliamentary committees probe telecom service quality and overcharging

    Pakistan's parliamentary committees are investigating telecom companies over declining service quality, allegations that Jazz overcharged users by Rs6.58 billion, and significant regulatory and debt issues.

Sources

digitalpakistan.pk · en.dailypakistan.com.pk · techjuice.pk · techx.pk · thecurrent.pk

This summary has been updated 1 time: see revision history