ISLAMABAD

The National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication on Tuesday recommended that the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) issue show-cause notices to major mobile operators, including Jazz, Zong and Ufone, over persistent complaints of poor service quality across the country.

The committee meeting, chaired by Amin Ul Haque, witnessed strong criticism of telecom operators and the Ministry of IT over declining mobile and internet service standards, with lawmakers questioning the government’s strategy for improving connectivity.

Committee members expressed concern over widespread public complaints regarding call drops, weak signals and unreliable internet services, demanding concrete measures to address the issue.

During the session, committee member Sadiq Memon asked the Ministry of IT to explain its roadmap for improving mobile and internet services nationwide.

“What is the ministry’s plan to improve mobile and internet services in the country?” Memon questioned, adding that the introduction of advanced technologies would be meaningless without improvements in service quality.

“Even if 6G arrives tomorrow alongside 5G, the real issue is whether the quality of service improves for consumers,” he remarked.

Chairman Amin Ul Haque also criticized telecom operators for reducing customer support accessibility, saying that Jazz, Zong and Ufone had scaled back their helpline services instead of expanding them to better serve subscribers.

He stressed that mobile operators should strengthen and modernize their customer support systems to effectively address consumer complaints.

The committee chairman further questioned why PTA was not taking stricter action against operators despite recurring service-related grievances.

He recommended that the telecom regulator impose penalties on operators providing substandard services and issue show-cause notices to ensure accountability and better service delivery for consumers.

The committee also expressed displeasure over the absence of the federal minister for IT and the IT secretary from the meeting, with members seeking greater engagement from the ministry on critical issues affecting the telecom sector.