Jazz Accused of Overcharging Customers by Rs 6.58 Billion, PTA Criticised for Weak Oversight
Nadeem Tanoli
ISLAMABAD – The Auditor General of Pakistan has revealed that Jazz, one of the country’s largest telecom operators, allegedly overcharged its customers by more than Rs 6.58 billion by charging higher rates than those officially approved by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority. The audit findings expose widespread overbilling and raise serious questions about weak regulatory monitoring.
The report for 2023-24 highlights that Jazz unilaterally increased the prices of several popular mobile packages, collecting billions in excess revenue from millions of subscribers. It accuses the company of ignoring the approved pricing framework and blames the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority for ineffective regulation and weak monitoring that allowed the practice to go unchecked.
Among the packages reviewed, the Monthly Your Tube and Social Offer recorded the most significant overcharging, with subscribers paying Rs 434 instead of the approved Rs 348, resulting in an excess of more than Rs 2.1 billion. The Monthly Max Package accounted for Rs 1.165 billion in additional charges, while the Weekly Super Max package was linked to Rs 1.158 billion in overbilling. The Monthly Super Duper package added Rs 722 million, and the Monthly Freedom Package another Rs 620 million. Together with the Weekly Freedom Package, the total amount allegedly overcharged reached Rs 6.583 billion.
Beyond the financial losses suffered by consumers, the Auditor General’s report strongly criticised the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, describing its monitoring as weak and ineffective. The findings emphasised that the regulator failed to protect consumer rights and neglected its responsibility to enforce approved pricing structures.
The report formally recommended a high-level inquiry to fix responsibility both on Jazz for unlawfully collecting billions from customers and on the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority for its lapses in regulatory oversight. It stressed that accountability must be ensured at every level to prevent such practices from recurring in the telecom sector.
As the revelations circulate, pressure is building on the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority to explain its failure to act. Consumer advocates say the case highlights the urgent need for stronger enforcement mechanisms in Pakistan’s telecom sector, where millions rely on mobile packages for essential communication and digital access. With billions of rupees allegedly collected through inflated charges, the scandal has placed both Jazz and the regulator under sharp scrutiny and has raised concerns about transparency and consumer protection in one of the country’s most vital industries.
