PTA Tells Telcos to Quickly Report Tower Theft Cases

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has instructed all cellular mobile operators to report theft and vandalism incidents involving telecom infrastructure promptly. A report to a parliamentary committee revealed over 9,200 such incidents nationwide in the last 11 months, affecting nearly 16 percent of Pakistan’s cellular sites.

The PTA has also directed mobile operators to follow up on registered cases with law enforcement agencies until they are resolved. The directives came after a subcommittee investigated internet service disruptions and diesel theft from telecom towers across the country. The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, along with the Ministry of Law and Justice, are collaborating to tackle the issue.

PTA is consulting telecom licensees and seeking their recommendations for submission to the government. The Authority has also addressed power-related concerns at telecom sites with the Power Division, National Electric Power Regulatory Authority, and electricity distribution companies. A committee, chaired by the IT and Telecommunication secretary, will review dedicated and express feeders, smart grids, smart transformers, and industrial electricity tariffs to minimize load shedding and ensure a continuous power supply to telecom towers.