The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has suspended the licences of five Long Distance and International (LDI) telecom operators for failing to pay government dues amounting to billions of rupees.
LDI operators collectively owe Rs80 billion to the government. This includes Rs24 billion in principal and Rs56 billion in late payment surcharges, which have accumulated over the years.
In an attempt to avoid payment, the operators filed multiple writ petitions in court, arguing that the PTA lacked the legal authority to demand these charges.
However, the court ruled that the petitions were not maintainable. Following the court’s dismissal of the cases, the PTA proceeded to suspend the licences of the five LDI operators.
The PTA conducted individual hearings for each of the five companies to address the issue of outstanding dues, but the operators failed to provide any concrete commitment toward payment.
The PTA has issued separate orders for each of the five defaulting LDI companies, instructing all cellular mobile operators to immediately terminate telecommunication services to them. Class Value-Added Service (CVAS) licence holders have also been directed to cease all services to these firms without delay.
According to official data, out of a total of 13 LDI operators, licences for four companies were renewed in 2024. Licences for seven others expired the same year, while the remaining two are set to expire in 2025 and 2026, respectively.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ