Pakistan Telecommunication Authority failed to recover more than Rs. 58 million in fines from telecom operators, it is learned reliably here.
According to the audit document exclusively available with ProPakistani, the telecom regulator imposed a hefty fine of Rs. 58.1 million on two telecom operators through six enforcement orders during the year 2020-21 but it failed to recover the fines from the operators.
A fine of Rs. 55,850,000 was imposed on PTML (Ufone) in two parts in July 2020 and May 2021.
According to the audit document, fines of Rs. 250,000 and Rs. 1,900,000 were imposed on CM Pak (Zong) for quality-of-service issues on 29 July 2020. The PTA issued these fines according to powers conferred under section 23 of the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organization) Act, 1996.
The regulator, while replying to the Audit, stated that it could not recover the fine because operators challenged these fines in a court of law. According to the audit, it rejected PTA’s answer because the grounds on which these cases were filed were not provided despite several written and verbal requests.
The Audit has recommended the court cases and updates status be shared with it.
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