Senate IT Committee Reviews LDI Telecom Dues

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology convened to discuss the outstanding dues of Long-Distance and International (LDI) telecom companies, with Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman providing a briefing on the issue.

The PTA chairman stated that the authority is currently reviewing cases of defaulting LDI companies and will hear each company’s stance individually before making a final decision. He revealed that 112 cases related to LDI companies are currently under litigation, and two potential options are being considered for the recovery of outstanding dues. One option would require companies to pay the principal amount in a lump sum, while the remaining dues could be cleared in installments. The second option under discussion involves the potential cancellation of licenses for non-compliant companies.

Addressing the renewal of old telecom licenses, the PTA chairman clarified that companies must clear their previous dues before their licenses can be renewed. The committee also directed officials from the Ministry of IT to appear in the next session to provide a detailed explanation regarding the LDI matter. The committee chairperson questioned what the ministry intended to communicate through its official letter and demanded further clarification.

Additionally, concerns were raised about actions taken against the former IT secretary, with the chairperson inquiring whether any cases had been referred to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) or the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) beyond their removal from office.

During the meeting, the committee also condemned the behavior of the federal IT minister, stating that the conduct displayed in the session was inappropriate. The discussion surrounding LDI dues and regulatory actions is expected to continue in the upcoming sessions, as the government evaluates measures to address financial discrepancies in the telecom sector.