Senate panel takes up Rs 6.58bn Jazz overcharging claim, Etisalat dues and call center fraud

The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication is set to examine allegations of Rs 6.58 billion in excess charges by Jazz, around $800 million in outstanding Etisalat dues linked to the privatisation of PTCL, and a reported Rs 172 billion fraud allegedly involving call centers.

The committee, chaired by Senator Palwasha Mohammad Zai Khan, will seek briefings from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Auditor General of Pakistan, Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT), and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

The panel will particularly examine a purported audit report alleging that Jazz collected Rs 6.58 billion in excess charges from mobile users after being allowed to increase tariffs by up to 15 per cent quarterly. The PTA chairman and auditor general will be asked to clarify the findings and explain any action taken to protect consumers. The Senate committee had previously examined the same audit objection.

The committee will also take up the reported $800 million outstanding amount owed by Etisalat in connection with the privatisation of PTCL. MoITT will brief members on the matter and provide minutes of PTCL Board meetings held during the past six months.

The FIA will separately brief the committee on the reported Rs172 billion fraud allegedly involving call centres, including details of the case and investigation and enforcement measures.

Data security and telecom issues also on agenda

The committee will also examine allegations that sensitive personal data of Pakistani government officers was obtained and transferred to foreign entities. The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) will brief the panel on the alleged data transfer and measures to prevent similar incidents.

Other matters on the agenda include the continued closure of mobile services in Lakki Marwat, telecom and internet connectivity projects in Qila Abdullah under the Universal Service Fund, and the status of Telecom Competition Rules under the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organization) Act, 1996.

The panel will also consider a request from Pak Datacom employees concerning termination of their employment.

The committee’s agenda comes amid broader scrutiny of telecom regulation, consumer protection, connectivity and data security. Recent Senate proceedings have also covered network connectivity, telecom competition rules and concerns surrounding the transfer of government data to foreign satellite infrastructure.

Also read:

PTA Seeks Email Security Solution to Protect Employees from Scams and Malicious Messages