The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has been unable to recover several fines imposed on telecom companies, as court cases and stay orders continue to delay the collection of penalties.

The issue was discussed during a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecom on Tuesday, where lawmakers questioned the regulator about its enforcement record.

Committee Chairman Syed Aminul Haque asked PTA officials why the authority had imposed fines on telecom companies but failed to recover the money.

PTA Chairman Major General (retd.) Hafeez ur Rehman told the committee that telecom companies frequently challenge penalties in court and obtain stay orders, preventing the regulator from collecting the fines.

The Director General Enforcement also acknowledged that legal proceedings had slowed recoveries. However, he said decisions in some cases had started coming through, which could help the authority collect the outstanding penalties.

Lawmakers Question Poor Telecom Services

The discussion also focused on the poor quality of mobile and internet services across Pakistan.

Committee members expressed frustration that telecom service problems had persisted despite repeated discussions over the past two and a half years.

The PTA Chairman said the regulator had been inspecting telecom infrastructure and asking companies to improve service quality.

He added that show-cause notices were among the regulator’s last available options because enforcement action often leads to lengthy court proceedings, further delaying the process.