NA Panel Grills LDI Operators Over Billions in Dues as Spectrum Disputes Delay 5G Rollout

A sub-committee of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication, chaired by Convener Zulfiqar Ali Bhatti, expressed serious concern over billions of rupees in outstanding dues owed by Long Distance International (LDI) operators and the prolonged delay in their licence renewals.

The committee met to discuss how these disputes could be resolved outside the court, but members raised doubts about the feasibility of such settlements. “Public money cannot be bargained away through out-of-court deals,” said Secretary IT, asserting that any resolution must adhere to legal and transparent procedures.

PTA officials maintained a firm stance, saying that if LDI companies wanted a legal battle, the authority was ready to contest it. They added that the establishment of telecom tribunals could help expedite the resolution of these cases. “If telecom tribunals were operational, this matter would have been resolved much earlier,” a PTA representative remarked.

Secretary IT informed the sub-committee that Wateen had agreed to pay its principal amount within a month but wanted the court to decide on the penalties. He noted that Wateen had already submitted its recommendations to the court. PTA officials added that out of nine LDI operators, seven had sent their recommendations, while three insisted on abiding solely by the court’s verdict.

Frustrated by the prolonged legal impasse, Convener Bhatti questioned the purpose of continued discussions if the matter was to be settled in court. The committee decided to summon the Law Secretary and the Attorney General on October 16 to clarify why these cases have remained unresolved for years despite being under judicial consideration.

Officials from the Frequency Allocation Board (FAB) revealed that Southern Networks Limited has occupied 140 MHz of spectrum in the 2600 MHz band for years without resolution. The case remains pending before the Supreme Court and a civil court in Sindh. FAB officials further disclosed that despite repeated requests to the Law Ministry for over a year, appointments for telecom tribunals have not been made.

They warned that ongoing spectrum disputes were delaying Pakistan’s 5G auction. “The primary spectrum remains entangled in legal battles, causing unnecessary delays in 5G rollout,” an FAB official said, adding that “influential entities continue to occupy spectrum without licences.”

He lamented, “Such exploitation could only happen in Pakistan.”

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