PTA & MoITT Brief NA Committee on LDI Liabilities & Digital Media Regulation

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and the Ministry of IT & Telecom (MoITT) presented a comprehensive progress update to the National Assembly Standing Committee on IT & Telecom today. The brief covered critical issues ranging from outstanding LDI liabilities and spectrum scarcity to the contentious proposal of a new Digital Media Authority.

Here is a breakdown of the key developments reported today, December 16, 2025.

PTA Briefs on LDI Operators & the Liability Crisis

The committee strongly recommended that the PTA ensure Long Distance and International (LDI) operators clear all pending liabilities. The PTA noted this for compliance but highlighted significant legal hurdles.

Earlier this year, the PTA passed enforcement orders on July 18, 2025, and renewal orders on July 21, 2025, requiring licensees to pay up. However, the operators secured restraining orders from the Sindh High Court and Islamabad High Court.

Notably, Wateen Telecom has paid its principal outstanding dues, including Rs. 2.05 billion for the Universal Service Fund (USF). While Wateen contests the “Late Payment Additional Fees” in court, its license has been renewed. The courts have observed that these cases will likely transfer to the newly established “Telecommunication Appellate Tribunal”.

Regulatory Clash: SMRA vs. Digital Media Authority

A significant policy debate has emerged regarding digital content regulation. The committee reviewed a comparative analysis between the existing Social Media Regulatory Authority (SMRA) under PECA 2025 and the proposed Digital Media Authority (DMA) under the “Prevention of Obscenity & Indecency Bill”.

• SMRA (PECA 2025): Holds a broad mandate for online safety, fake news, and platform enlistment. It has direct enforcement powers to block content and impose fines.
• Digital Media Authority (Proposed): Focuses narrowly on “morality-based” regulation to curb obscenity. However, it lacks independent technical power and must rely on the PTA for enforcement.

The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) criticised this duality. They argued that establishing the DMA creates unnecessary administrative overlap since “obscenity” is already covered as “unlawful content” under the SMRA. They recommended a single centralised authority to avoid fragmentation.

Infrastructure & Strategic Collaborations

On the connectivity front, the PTA highlighted severe “spectrum scarcity”. Pakistan currently holds only 274 MHz of spectrum, far below the expected 600 MHz. Consequently, the much-anticipated spectrum auction, essential for 5G, is now expected in Q1 2026.

Operational challenges also persist. Telecom operators face frequent fibre cuts and power outages, forcing them to maintain expensive three-layer backup systems (solar, batteries, gensets).

Pakistan continues to strengthen its digital alliances. Key milestones include:

• Huawei: An MoU to train 300,000 youth in AI and cloud computing to boost IT exports.
• Google: A partnership to train government officials and launch AI initiatives in schools.
• China: 24 MoUs signed in September 2025 to enhance technological collaboration.
• ZTE: A proposal to establish ZTE’s eighth global training centre in Pakistan.

NTC Restructuring & PTA Consumer Complaints

The National Telecommunication Corporation (NTC) clarified that it is not downsizing. Instead, it is “rightsizing” its workforce, which has already seen a 28% natural reduction. The NTC proposed a new organogram to modernise operations without laying off employees.

Finally, the PTA shared data on consumer complaints. Between July 2024 and June 2025, the authority received over 169,000 complaints via its CMS. While the satisfaction rate for the Pakistan Citizen Portal (PCP) stands at a high 85%, satisfaction with internet services remains lower at approximately 53%. To address this, the PTA has established Zonal Offices in 12 cities, including Gilgit and Gwadar, to handle complaints locally.