Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) will issue show-cause notices to mobile companies if tariffs are increased without following a laid-down mechanism, said chairman PTA Major Gen. (Retd) Amir Azeem Bajwa.
While briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication, which met with Rubina Khalid in the chair, Bajwa said that tariffs are being increased through a proper mechanism and discussions and that recently no tariffs have been increased.
He further said that consumer gets air time of Rs 60 on a card of Rs 100. He assured the committee that show-cause notices would be issued to mobile operators if any of them have increased tariffs and violated the mechanism.
The committee observed that there was news that mobile companies have raised tariffs compared to the previous prices after the restoration of taxes by the Supreme Court. Screenshots of PTA website indicating tariff increases are being shown on social media.
The committee also observed that thousands of mobile phones are being smuggled with same IMEI numbers.
Rubina Khalid said that there are factories of rumors which need to be eliminated, as many rumors surfaced about polio campaign as well.
The committee also reviewed the import duty on mobile phones. The committee was informed that it relates to the Federal Board of Revenue. Thousands of mobile phones are being smuggled through same IMEI numbers. The committee sought written response on the matter from concerned authorities in the next meeting.
The Ministry also briefed the committee on Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) projects for the next fiscal year 2019-20, while saying that a total of 23 schemes are proposed out of which 8 are ongoing schemes and 15 are new schemes.
A total demand of Rs 16,475 million has been made against these schemes with Rs 9,814 million for new schemes and Rs 6,661 million for ongoing schemes.
