Pakistan Senate committee to examine claims of Jazz overcharging — Dawn
In Islamabad, Pakistan, the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunications has formed a subcommittee to examine claims that operator Jazz allegedly charged customers 5.83 billion Pakistani rupees above tariffs approved by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority. As Dawn reports, the subcommittee will be headed by Senator Dr Afnanullah Khan.
Review of tariffs and billing
The subcommittee is to consider claims of possible overcharging by Jazz, as well as the actions of the telecommunications regulator in the matter. It will review tariff approvals, mobile packages and billing data to determine whether subscribers were charged amounts exceeding the rates approved by the regulator.
The decision was made after a heated discussion between officials of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority and representatives of the Auditor General of Pakistan. Senate committee chair Palwasha Khan intervened to calm the participants when the regulator’s chairman said he would resign if corruption allegations were brought against him.
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Auditors’ observations
The issue is linked to a 2024 audit of the regulator’s activities. The audit observation stated that the regulator had allowed Jazz to raise tariffs by 15%, although the permissible limit was 3%. The auditors also proposed seeking an opinion from the Competition Commission of Pakistan on the tariff policy.
The chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, retired Major General Hafeezur Rehman, said the regulator had acted transparently in approving Jazz’s 15% tariff increase and proposed conducting a forensic audit. According to him, the authority reviews mobile packages before their launch and monitors compliance with the approved tariff structure.
Rehman also said he would resign if even one rupee of overcharging in violation of the regulator-approved tariffs was established. A Jazz representative said the matter concerned two state bodies and that the company would present its position if invited to the relevant forum.
