Senators grill telcos over billing and spectrum

Committee warns MoITT over lack of transparency, raises alarm on cybercrime as WhatsApp hacks cause Rs2-3b loss

ISLAMABAD:

Telecom operators came under fire on Tuesday over multiple issues, including overbilling, spectrum misuse, and failure to disclose the names of board members of Ufone, a subsidiary of PTCL.

The chairperson of the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication warned of filing a privilege motion against the IT ministry for refusing to share Ufone board details. The body also grilled Zong for spectrum misuse and taking a case to the Supreme Court. It called for activating the telecom tribunal to resolve Zong's disputes.

Chaired by Senator Palwasha Khan, the committee also pledged to approach the government to block Telenor's exit from Pakistan. PTCL has acquired Telenor, but the case is still pending before the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP), which has raised questions about the deal.

The committee pressed ministry officials over unresolved disputes threatening Pakistan's planned 5G spectrum auction. It demanded PTCL's board details, including posts and pay. When the ministry failed to provide them, the chairperson accused officials of hiding facts, calling the PTCL board a "white elephant." She warned sessions would continue until transparency was ensured.

Audit officials raised concerns over Jazz's recovery of Rs6.8 billion in tariffs, noting Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) had not shared approval records. Senator Anusha Rahman criticised the regulator for negligence, warning its inaction was eroding private sector credibility. The committee directed PTA to submit full documentation at the next meeting.

Members voiced concern over delays caused by court cases, unpaid dues, stalled audits, and uncertainty surrounding telecom mergers. PTA officials said a consultant had been hired six months ago for the 5G auction. The consultant advised resolving spectrum-related cases, including Sun TV, before moving forward. PTA assured senators that 600 MHz of bandwidth would be available and that recommendations had been sent to the Auction Advisory Committee. Members noted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had also been consulted on the framework.

Senator Humayun Mohmand urged the ministry to expedite court cases, warning long disputes would hurt investor confidence. Senator Anusha Rahman demanded the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and Accountant General Pakistan Revenues (AGPR) be included in the auction committee to ensure transparency. PTA supported NAB's oversight and confirmed no final decision had been made on mergers, critical to the auction's success.

The unresolved $800 million dispute between PTCL and the government also came under discussion. Senator Afnanullah alleged PTCL's management was deliberately avoiding settlement. Audit officials said PTCL refused scrutiny, claiming its controlling shareholder, Etisalat, was not subject to public audit requirements. Senators countered that the Supreme Court had ordered an audit with Senator Nadeem Bhutto calling the refusal illegal.

The chairperson also raised concerns about the proposed Telenor-Ufone merger, warning Telenor's exit would harm service quality nationwide. Officials confirmed no final decision had been taken and promised a separate briefing in the next session. The Frequency Allocation Board said telecom tribunals had been set up for spectrum disputes, but appointments were pending at the Ministry of Law.

Senator Afnanullah also accused Elon Musk of running discriminatory campaigns against Pakistanis on social media and questioned if Starlink should be allowed to operate locally. PTA said Starlink had applied for a Long-Distance International licence, pending clearance from the Space Regulatory Authority. The committee agreed to summon the Pakistan Space Activities Regulatory Board (PSARB) on the matter.

Cybercrime threats were also discussed. The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) reported fraudulent call centres and WhatsApp hacks had caused losses of Rs2-3 billion. Authorities said 63 illegal call centres had been raided, and 60% of complaints were linked to financial fraud. Senators called the figures alarming and urged stronger enforcement.