Audit officials have held the Ministry of Information Technology and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) responsible for not collecting over Rs89 billion in dues from Long Distance International (LDI) telecom companies.
The report said that for nearly two decades, PTA has failed to enforce payments, allowing many operators to continue business without renewing licenses or paying their obligations. This, it noted, shows serious lapses in regulatory oversight.
Authorities also dismissed PTA’s claim that pending court cases are the reason for the delay, calling the excuse “unjustified” and highlighting that supervision has been poor.
According to the audit, the unpaid dues include:
- Rs9.82 billion in annual, spectrum, and late fees
- Rs79.34 billion in contributions to the IT Ministry, including the Universal Service Fund (USF)
- More than Rs1 billion in license renewal fees
The report warned that the failure to recover these payments has not only damaged the credibility of the regulator but also caused heavy losses to the national exchequer.
Audit authorities have directed the PTA and IT Ministry to take urgent steps to ensure recovery, stressing that court proceedings cannot excuse a 20-year delay.
