NA Panel Slams Poor Mobile Service Across Pakistan, Summons Jazz, Zong and Ufone as PTA Faces Scrutiny

Committee member Ahmed Atiq said around 70% of areas were facing mobile service problems, while other members described service quality in nearly 90% of the country as unsatisfactory.

Dr. Mahesh Kumar specifically criticized Ufone’s service, saying it was not working properly in many areas. Members also expressed dissatisfaction with PTA’s performance and called for stronger regulatory oversight.

Ahmed Atiq said that if PTA was facing legal or operational constraints, it should submit recommendations to Parliament so that lawmakers could consider necessary changes to the law.

The committee has now decided to summon Jazz, Zong and Ufone at its next meeting over the issue of substandard mobile services.

Lawmakers Highlight PIMS and Regional Connectivity Problems

Committee member Shazia Farid raised concerns over poor mobile coverage at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad, saying the service was so weak that even phone calls could be difficult.

Dr. Zulfiqar Bhatti said mobile service was unavailable at his ancestral home despite repeated complaints. He also raised the issue of a university in Sargodha where, according to him, PTCL had received payment but failed to provide the required services.

The Secretary of IT told the committee that one reason behind poor service quality was the use of substandard equipment and infrastructure.

Committee member Ali Qasim Gilani proposed forming a subcommittee to coordinate with PTA and monitor service-quality issues more closely.

PTA officials acknowledged that mobile and internet quality problems existed across the country. They told the committee that four show-cause notices had been issued to telecom operators during the past six months.

Over the past few years, PTA said it had issued 48 show-cause notices and 22 warning letters, while penalties totaling Rs 68.9 million had been imposed over service-quality violations.

The regulator also informed the committee that it can impose a maximum fine of Rs 350 million on telecom operators under the existing framework.

Lawmakers said notices and penalties should lead to visible improvements in service quality for consumers.

The committee called for better network performance, stronger monitoring, and closer coordination between PTA, telecom operators, and Parliament.

Members also indicated that further legislative action could be considered if PTA identifies gaps in the existing legal framework, while the proposed subcommittee could provide a more focused mechanism for following up on mobile and internet service complaints nationwide.

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