Senate body orders probe into ‘overcharging’ by telco

Dawn reported that a Senate subcommittee has been formed to probe claims that a leading mobile operator billed subscribers Rs5.83 billion above tariffs sanctioned by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). The panel, which the Senate's IT and telecom committee set up, will be led by Senator Dr Afnanullah Khan and will examine Jazz along with the regulator's action on the matter.

The dispute stemmed from a 2024 audit of the PTA, which questioned a tariff rise of 15 per cent allowed for Jazz when the permissible ceiling was 3pc. Auditors also proposed asking the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) for its view on tariff policy. PTA chairman retired Maj Gen Hafeezur Rehman rejected that proposal, arguing that the regulator should not answer for service quality if the CCP sets tariffs, and offered a forensic audit. He said he would step down if even a single rupee of overcharging were established.

A Jazz spokesperson said the company would present its view if called before a relevant forum, noting that the matter concerns two government bodies. The subcommittee will check approval records, package terms and billing data to establish if subscribers paid more than the rates the regulator had cleared.