Key Takeaways
- Pakistan’s long-distance international companies owe Rs. 84 billion in unpaid dues.
- Twenty cases have been transferred to the newly established Telecom Tribunal.
- The tribunal aims to expedite the resolution of telecom-related disputes.
Pakistan’s long-distance international (LDI) companies are facing legal action over unpaid dues amounting to Rs. 84 billion, including Rs. 24 billion in outstanding dues and Rs. 60 billion in late payment surcharges. This issue was discussed during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunications, chaired by Senator Palwasha Khan.
The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications informed the committee that several LDI company licenses had expired. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) had issued orders concerning these companies, which subsequently challenged the orders in court. Thirty-eight cases involving LDI companies were currently pending before different courts.
In a move to address the issue, the PTA has transferred 20 of these cases to the newly established Telecom Tribunal. The tribunal’s chairman and members have been appointed, and it has started functioning. The Ministry of IT stated that the tribunal would help ensure faster hearings of telecom-related disputes.
However, companies will retain the right to approach the Supreme Court after the tribunal issues its decisions. The committee directed the relevant authorities to submit a progress report on the recovery issue at its next meeting.
The PTA has also written to the attorney general and raised the matter before judicial forums. The transfer of cases to the Telecom Tribunal is seen as a step towards resolving the long-standing issue of unpaid dues and ensuring a more efficient dispute resolution process in the telecommunications sector.
