Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has suspended the telecom tower infrastructure license of Access Global Pakistan (Pvt.) Limited after the company failed to start operations for almost a decade after receiving approval.
According to an enforcement order issued on May 5, 2026, PTA granted the company a non-exclusive Telecommunication Tower Provider (TTP) license on March 25, 2016. The license allowed the company to establish, maintain, lease, rent, and sell telecom tower infrastructure across licensed regions in Pakistan.
However, the company never secured the mandatory commencement certificate required to begin commercial operations. Under PTA rules, tower operators cannot provide infrastructure services or receive payments before obtaining the commencement certificate. The regulator issues this certificate after confirming that the required network facilities are in place.
PTA said it repeatedly contacted the company over the years. Official reminders were sent in February 2018, May 2020, October 2021, November 2021, July 2022, and July 2024. Despite multiple notices, the company failed to meet the requirement.
As a result, PTA issued a show-cause notice on January 19, 2026. The regulator directed the company to obtain the commencement certificate within 30 days. It also asked the company to explain why action should not be taken under Section 23 of the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organization) Act, 1996.
The matter later came up for hearing before the Authority on March 16, 2026. However, Access Global Pakistan neither submitted a reply nor appeared before the hearing panel.
PTA stated that both the show-cause notice and hearing intimation were sent to the company’s officially registered address. Since the company did not respond, the Authority decided the case ex parte using the available record.
“After examination of the available record, it is concluded that the licensee did not comply with the applicable regulatory provisions,” the order stated.
The three-member panel included PTA Chairman Maj Gen (R) Hafeez Ur Rehman, Member Compliance and Enforcement Dr Khawar Siddique Khokhar, and Member Finance Muhammad Naveed. The panel unanimously ruled that the company violated licence conditions by failing to commence services.
Following the decision, PTA suspended the licence for one month or until the company obtains the required commencement certificate, whichever comes first. The regulator also warned that Licence No. PTA/TTP-012-2016 will automatically stand terminated if the company fails to comply within the suspension period. PTA said no further notice will be issued in that case.
In addition, the Authority directed all Long Distance and International (LDI), Local Loop (LL), Telecom Infrastructure Provider (TIP), and mobile operators to immediately suspend telecom facilities provided to Access Global Pakistan until further orders.
