PTA imposes Rs38.9mn fine on Jazz over corporate postpaid SIM violations

Business Recorder reported that the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has levied a penalty of Rs38.9 million on Pakistan Mobile Communication Limited, known as Jazz, over alleged lapses in handling around 400 corporate postpaid SIMs. A complaint from Target Marketing (Private) Limited prompted the enforcement order, which was made under Section 23 of the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organization) Act, 1996.

The complainant said about 400 corporate SIMs were registered in its name without its request or consent, and it received a recovery notice from a third-party agency for Rs626,360.48 in dues. According to the order, Jazz gave an incomplete reply to the PTA's request for records, omitting mandatory corporate authorisation papers and end-user credentials. The authority held that the operator had not shown compliance with end-user verification and the mapping of each SIM to an individual user.

The PTA rejected the claim that the matter was merely a billing dispute, calling it systemic non-compliance with corporate SIM rules. It also stated that responsibility cannot be passed on to corporate customers, franchisees or sales channels. Jazz has been directed to deposit the amount within 30 days of the order, failing which further proceedings under law will follow.