ISLAMABAD

Concerns are mounting at the parliamentary level over deteriorating mobile services, persistent call drops and poor internet quality after the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) submitted operator-wise complaint data to the Senate revealing widespread service issues across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Official documents presented before the upper house showed that telecom consumers lodged hundreds of complaints regarding network quality and connectivity failures between January 2023 and December 2025, exposing growing dissatisfaction with mobile operators in several districts of the province.

According to the data, Telenor recorded the highest number of complaints, with 632 reported cases linked to poor service quality, followed by Zong with 276 complaints, Jazz with 198 and Ufone with 127 complaints.

The documents indicate that complaints against Telenor were particularly high in districts including Buner, Chitral, Swat and Upper Dir, where users repeatedly reported weak signals, disrupted connectivity and unreliable internet services.

In Chitral and Buner alone, 117 complaints were registered against Telenor, while another 112 complaints were recorded in Swat, making the company the most criticised operator in several remote and mountainous regions.

Jazz also faced significant scrutiny, with 45 complaints reported in Upper Dir and 42 in Lower Dir, according to the documents.

Meanwhile, Zong received 66 complaints in Swat and 53 in Buner, while 30 complaints against Jazz were recorded in Bajaur during the same period.

Officials said the figures are based on Quality of Service survey reports collected over the last three years, reflecting persistent concerns regarding telecom infrastructure, network coverage and service reliability in KP’s rural and hard-to-reach districts.

The latest revelations have intensified pressure on telecom operators and regulators as lawmakers increasingly question the quality of mobile and internet services despite continued expansion of digital connectivity across the country.

Industry observers say the rising number of complaints could push regulators towards stricter oversight and stronger enforcement measures aimed at improving service standards and consumer protection in Pakistan’s telecom sector.