Jazz Overcharges Rs6.58B, Audit Reveals

Islamabad, August 21, 2025, 07:16 PM PKT — The Auditor General Pakistan (AGP) has unveiled a damning audit report, exposing telecom giant Jazz’s shocking overcharging of Rs6.58 billion from subscribers in fiscal year 2023-24, casting a dark shadow over Pakistan’s competitive telecom sector, as per this week’s release. The overcharges, breaching tariffs approved by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), violated the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-Organization) Act, 1996, and Telecom Consumer Protection Regulations, 2009, with PTA’s lax oversight leaving millions vulnerable to an unregulated pricing system, raising grave questions about industry practices and regulatory failures.

The audit flagged excess billing—e.g., Rs1,043 for “Monthly Super Duper” vs. Rs955 approved, Rs1,739 for “Monthly Freedom” vs. Rs1,652, and Rs434 for “Monthly YouTube & Social Offer” vs. Rs348, totaling over Rs2.12 billion on one package alone—holding Jazz and PTA accountable. PTA’s blanket 15% quarterly price hike approval (granted February 12 and August 12, 2024, implemented November 12, 2024) and 5% incentive cuts, despite notification requirements, were deemed untenable by the audit, citing poor regulation and unsubmitted records at the December 26, 2024, Departmental Accounts Committee (DAC) meeting. Jazz defends its compliance with PTA approvals, but the audit demands an inquiry, DAC directive enforcement, and responsibility fixation.

With 190 million subscribers and Jazz’s 73 million users (40% market share, bolstered by Telenor’s exit), this low-competition environment enables pricing power, exposing consumer exploitation. Web context on telecom oversight shows chronic gaps, while posts found on X reflect fury—some demand accountability, others question regulation. Critically, the narrative of “market growth” may mask regulatory collapse—web data hints at past lapses, and X sentiment suggests distrust in consumer protection, pointing to urgent reform needs.