Govt Bans Mobile Operators from Sharing User Data

Cellular mobile operators cannot share data of consumers with third parties, the Minister-in-Charge of the Cabinet Division informed the National Assembly through a written reply. The Minister stated that telecom operators are bound by strict confidentiality clauses under their licenses and relevant regulations, which prohibit the disclosure of customer information to third parties, including their own affiliates and subsidiaries. Clauses 7.7.1 and 7.7.2 of the Long Distance and International (LDI) and Local Loop Licenses outline that such data can only be shared under specific exceptions, such as for debt collection, inter-operator service provisioning, legal obligations, or with prior informed consent from the customer. Even in these cases, the shared data must be limited to the minimum required. The Minister further cited Regulation 16 of the Telecom Consumers Protection Regulations, 2009, which mandates operators to ensure the confidentiality of consumer data. Additionally, Clause 10.1 of the Third Party Service Provider License emphasizes the importance of consumer protection, requiring licensees to maintain an effective complaint-handling system and safeguard consumers against fraud, privacy breaches, and service delays. No customer data can be shared unless it falls under the listed exceptions or the customer has given explicit, informed consent after being fully briefed on the nature, purpose, and recipient of the data. The reply stressed that disclosure without fulfilling these requirements is a clear violation of license terms and consumer protection laws. The Ministry made it clear that operators must act responsibly and ensure that any data handling is in full compliance with legal provisions to protect consumer privacy and prevent misuse of personal information. In response to growing concerns over fraudulent communications, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has launched a series of initiatives. Over 1.065 billion public awareness messages have been disseminated to alert consumers about scam calls and SMS. Additionally, special ringback tones from the State Bank of Pakistan and the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan have been activated on mobile networks to educate users about fraud risks. PTA has also taken action to block masked Universal Access Numbers (UANs) used by fraudsters, particularly those impersonating banks, at international gateways. Furthermore, the authority has established an online Complaint Management System (CMS) with a dedicated category for fraudulent communication complaints, making it easier for consumers to report suspicious activity and receive timely support.