Rs6.58 billion audit objection puts PTA under Senate pressure

Islamabad: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has come under sharp questioning in the Senate over a Rs6.58 billion audit objection linked to a 15 percent increase in mobile package tariffs, while PTA officials told the committee that after reconciliation the disputed amount was around Rs920 million.

The issue was discussed during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication chaired by Senator Palwasha Mohammad Zai Khan.

The Federal Audit told the committee that Jazz had allegedly collected Rs6.58 billion more after a quarterly increase of 15 percent in mobile package tariffs. According to the audit briefing, the original proposal was for a 3 percent increase, while the approved increase was 15 percent.

The audit also raised questions about PTA’s policy that allows telecom operators to increase tariffs by up to 15 percent.

PTA, however, gave a different position. The authority told the committee that all required procedures had been followed and that after reconciliation, the amount involved was approximately Rs920 million.

The conflicting figures prompted the committee to seek the full record so that the claims made by Audit and PTA could be checked.

The chairperson directed the relevant authorities to submit complete documents and also ordered the Director Finance and Deputy Director who signed the relevant papers to attend the next committee meeting.

The committee was informed that the matter would first go before the Departmental Accounts Committee and later to the Public Accounts Committee for further consideration.

The committee also examined continuing network connectivity problems across the country. PTA Chairman said some disruptions were linked to the ongoing Ufone and Telenor merger process and the rollout of 5G services.

He assured the committee that the connectivity problems would be addressed by October 2026.

The committee also directed PTA to submit details of 38 pending LDI and FLL cases, including the financial amount involved in each case. PTA told the committee that its jurisdiction had been challenged in these cases and that the Telecom Tribunal had now been established and was fully functional.

Most of the pending cases have been transferred to the tribunal for further proceedings, according to PTA.

The committee also discussed mobile and internet connectivity along Pakistan Railways routes. PTA Chairman assured members that the authority would cooperate with railway authorities and proposed a meeting to find a comprehensive solution.

The committee urged PTA to provide maximum support to improve connectivity along railway tracks.

The committee also considered the reported change of Ufone’s name following the Ufone and Telenor merger. PTA informed members that any name change would require compliance with the relevant rules and approval from the federal government, with consultations among stakeholders currently under way.

On the proposed Starlink service, PTA informed the committee that no licence application from Starlink was currently pending before the authority. PTA said all low-orbit satellite operators must meet the required legal and regulatory conditions before receiving an operating licence.

The committee’s main concern regarding PTA remained the major difference between the Federal Audit figure of Rs6.58 billion and PTA’s reconciled figure of Rs920 million, with members seeking documentary evidence before reaching any conclusion.