Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has struggled to recover fines imposed on telecom companies, with court proceedings and stay orders delaying the collection of penalties.
The issue came under discussion during a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecom on Tuesday, where lawmakers questioned the regulator over its enforcement actions against telecom operators.
Committee Chairman Syed Aminul Haque asked PTA officials why the authority had imposed fines on telecom companies but recovered nothing from them.
Responding to the concerns, PTA Chairman Major General (retd.) Hafeez ur Rehman said telecom companies frequently approach courts and obtain stay orders against penalties, delaying the recovery process.
Director General Enforcement also told the committee that legal proceedings had affected collections. However, he said decisions in some cases had started coming through, which could provide relief in the recovery process.
Lawmakers Raise Concerns Over Poor Telecom Services
The discussion took place as committee members expressed frustration over the continued poor quality of mobile and internet services across Pakistan.
Lawmakers said telecom service problems had remained unresolved despite repeated discussions over the past two and a half years.
The PTA Chairman said the regulator had been inspecting telecom infrastructure and directing companies to improve their services. He added that issuing show-cause notices to operators was among the last available options, as enforcement action often leads to prolonged legal disputes.
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