ISLAMABAD: Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Major General (Retired) Hafeez Ur Rehman, on Monday cautioned that revoking the licenses of defaulting Long Distance and International (LDI) operators could severely disrupt Pakistan’s digital infrastructure — affecting up to 50 percent of mobile services and potentially disabling 40 percent of automated teller machines (ATMs) across the country.
The warning was issued during a briefing to the National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology, where the PTA chief highlighted that nine LDI companies collectively owe substantial outstanding dues.
Of these, five operators have already cleared Rs. 64 billion, while the remaining principal amount stands at Rs. 24 billion. According to Rehman, five additional operators have expressed willingness to pay Rs. 8.2 billion in instalments, leaving Rs. 16 billion unpaid by those unwilling to settle.
The details of the why these operators, are adamant on not paying these dues have previously been covered in a feature by Profit.
Rehman emphasised that while show-cause notices have been issued and license cancellations remain under consideration, the PTA lacks the legal mandate to independently authorise instalment-based recoveries.
Supporting this position, Minister of State for IT Shaza Fatima Khawaja noted that permitting payments in instalments could set a problematic precedent across sectors, potentially creating a regulatory “Pandora’s box.” Even if such payments were accepted, she said, they would be held in escrow accounts until court proceedings conclude — rendering the funds unusable by the government in the meantime.
Fatima clarified that the PTA cannot take unilateral action, as coordination with the Ministry of IT is legally required. She further revealed that the matter remains sub judice, with court orders explicitly preventing any enforcement actions for now.
Amid growing concerns over national connectivity, the committee chair urged the PTA and IT Ministry to engage in dialogue with the LDI companies and work toward a mutually agreeable resolution.
Concluding the briefing, the PTA chairman confirmed that a final decision — including potential license revocations — would only be made after the conclusion of all ongoing hearings. He also cautioned that in the event the government loses in court, any recovered funds would have to be returned to the operators.
