Following reports of a loss exceeding 75 billion rupees to the national treasury, Prime Minister of Pakistan, has taken action. Consequently, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Karachi has initiated an inquiry into the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s (PTA) failure to recover billions of rupees in outstanding dues from Wireless Local Loop (WLL) and Long Distance International (LDI) companies.
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Sources within PTA revealed that the authority’s negligence has led to significant financial losses for the national treasury, prompting NAB to take action. NAB Karachi has issued a call-up notice, numbered NABK20181004144116/IW-1/CO-A/NAB(K)/2024, directing PTA’s Director General Licensing to appear before the inquiry.
NAB has also requested PTA to provide all relevant records and documents pertaining to the case. The letter specifies the need for:
– Details of outstanding dues from WLL and LDI companies.
– Records of payments made by telecom companies.
– Correspondence with telecom companies regarding the dues.
– Internal inquiries and reports related to the case.
Failure to comply with the notice could lead to further action under the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) 1999, including arrest and prosecution.
Sources within PTA have indicated that a telecom company has provided details to the NAB administration, who have subsequently requested additional records. This development is part of NAB’s efforts to tackle corruption and ensure accountability within government institutions.
The inquiry aims to shed light on the circumstances leading to PTA’s failure to recover dues and identify those responsible for the financial losses.
