PTA Suspends License of IJ Internet Services Over Unpaid Dues
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has suspended the license of IJ Internet Services (Private) Limited for one month or until the company clears its outstanding dues. The suspension follows an enforcement order issued under Section 23 of the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organization) Act, 1996.
This action was taken after the company failed to pay its Annual License Fee (ALF) for the year ending June 30, 2022, along with applicable late payment fees, despite multiple notices and reminders from the PTA.
IJ Internet Services was granted a non-exclusive license in August 2014 to operate Data Class Value Added Services. Under license conditions, the company is required to submit audited annual accounts and pay the ALF within 120 days of the financial year’s end. PTA records show that between October 2022 and January 2025, the authority issued several letters and emails urging the company to settle its payments, but no response was received.
A Show Cause Notice was issued on January 3, 2024, giving IJ Internet Services seven days to clear its dues and thirty days to provide a written explanation. A hearing was scheduled for May 9, 2024, at the PTA headquarters in Islamabad.
However, the company did not respond to the notice, did not attend the hearing, and failed to update its address as required. A final deadline set for January 31, 2025, was also missed.
Following these developments, a PTA hearing panel decided to proceed ex-parte based on the available records. The order states that if the company fails to comply within the suspension period, its license will be terminated without further notice.
In the meantime, all Long Distance International (LDI), Local Loop (LL), Telecommunication Infrastructure Provider (TIP), and mobile operators have been instructed to suspend telecom services provided to the licensee until further notice.
