Transparency International Pakistan has urged the government to immediately recover outstanding dues from the privatization of Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited, warning that the unpaid amount has ballooned significantly over the past two decades.
According to TIP, the original $800 million owed by Etisalat since the 2005 PTCL privatization deal has now surged to nearly $6 billion, factoring in penalties and prolonged delays.
The development comes after the United Arab Emirates recently asked Pakistan to repay $3.5 billion in debt, which had been rolled over since 2019, intensifying pressure on Islamabad to address long-pending financial disputes.
In a letter addressed to Adviser to the Prime Minister on Privatization Muhammad Ali, TIP called for urgent directives to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority to initiate recovery proceedings against Etisalat.
The watchdog revealed that it had first raised the issue with the Supreme Court of Pakistan in 2011, when the outstanding dues stood at $1.6 billion. It noted that continued inaction has substantially increased the financial burden on the national exchequer.
TIP also highlighted that Pakistan lost an estimated $1.5 billion due to a 2 percent annual penalty over seven years following the deal, in addition to the unpaid principal amount.
Officials say the matter was also discussed earlier this year during a meeting in Dubai involving Ishaq Dar and senior Abu Dhabi authorities, including representatives linked to Etisalat.
Transparency International Pakistan has now called for a formal review and immediate recovery strategy, warning that delays reflect serious regulatory shortcomings and have resulted in significant financial losses for the country.
