The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has imposed a Rs38.9 million fine on Pakistan Mobile Communication Limited (Jazz). The penalty relates to alleged violations involving the issuance, verification, activation, sale and monitoring of around 400 Corporate Postpaid SIMs.
PTA issued the enforcement order under Section 23 of the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organization) Act, 1996. The case followed a complaint filed by M/s Target Marketing (Private) Limited. The company alleged that around 400 corporate SIMs were issued in its name without any request or approval. It said it never provided consent or authorisation for the issuance of those connections.
The complainant also said it later received a recovery notice through a third-party recovery agency. The notice demanded outstanding payments of Rs626,360.48 for SIMs allegedly registered in the company’s name.
Furthermore, the company claimed that the SIMs remained active for a considerable period. According to the complaint, this happened without its knowledge or approval. PTA sought relevant records from Jazz after receiving the complaint. However, the regulator said the operator submitted an incomplete response during the investigation.
According to the order, Jazz did not provide all mandatory corporate authorization documents. The response also lacked complete end-user credentials required under the applicable regulatory framework. PTA noted that Jazz submitted an NTN certificate and an outdated business agreement. The agreement identified a point of contact linked to the corporate account.
The operator also provided a list of 400 SIMs allegedly registered under that person’s name. It included requests for additional business connections made between June and August 2021. However, PTA said Jazz failed to provide complete records proving compliance with mandatory requirements. These requirements covered end-user verification, credential maintenance, and mapping SIMs to individual users.
The regulator stressed that corporate SIMs require continuous verification and monitoring. Operators must also maintain proper traceability throughout the lifecycle of those connections. PTA said telecom operators cannot transfer this responsibility to corporate customers or franchisees. Sales channels and authorised representatives also cannot assume responsibility for regulatory compliance.
Jazz had argued that the matter was primarily a billing or commercial dispute. However, PTA rejected this position and described the case as a regulatory compliance issue. The authority said the matter involved alleged systemic failures in mandatory rules. These rules govern corporate SIM issuance, verification, and post-issuance monitoring.
PTA also highlighted the importance of strong monitoring and enforcement systems within telecom operators. Such systems are particularly important for corporate and bulk SIM provisioning. The regulator concluded that Jazz failed to meet requirements under the applicable regulatory framework. The alleged violations involved the issuance, verification, activation, and monitoring of corporate SIMs.
The findings specifically relate to provisions under the Subscribers’ Regulations and the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). As a result, PTA imposed a penalty of Rs38.9 million on Jazz. PTA has directed Jazz to deposit the fine within 30 days of the order’s issuance. The authority warned that further legal proceedings could follow if Jazz fails to pay within the deadline.
