This post is specifically addressed to Honourable Maj. Gen (R) Hafeez – Ur- Rehman, Chairman PTA and PTCL Honourable Board of Directors including Honourable Navid Ahmed Shaikh as Chairman, Abdulrahim A. Al Nooryani as Director, Hamed Yaqoob Sheikh as Director, Hatem Dowidar (Director), Ahmed Mujtaba Memon (Director), Mikhail Gerchuk (Director)Mohamed Karim Bennis (Director) and Ahad Khan Cheema (Director).
Pakistan, as a country, and its citizens have unfortunately been betrayed by those who are meant to protect their rights. One such betrayal is the sale of a Pakistani Telecommunications Company (PTCL) to a foreign entity, which has led to harsh treatment of consumers, surpassing even the IMF conditionalities. This writeup for my family and friends highlights my personal experience with PTCL and raises concerns about the company’s unethical corporate practices.
I had the misfortune of installing a PTCL phone # 0512103200 coupled with its internet service at my office located in F-11/1 in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan . Despite minimal usage and low internet quality, I diligently paid my bills. When I requested a disconnection due to the COVID lockdown, PTCL ignored my request and continued sending bills. Eventually, my son shifted to the office for his studies and partially paid the bill, requesting disconnection as he opted for another internet provider.
To my shock, our residence telephone number and internet service were abruptly disconnected, causing significant disruption to my children’s studies. Upon inquiry, I discovered that the disconnection was due to an outstanding amount of 12,000 rupees, out of which 5,000 rupees were already paid last November 2022 by my son that is not accounted for in the new bill . It is baffling that PTCL would disconnect a residence number installed at totally a separate address, even when the bills for that very number have been consistently paid over the years .
I am sharing this public post as an ordinary citizen and PTCL consumer to raise awareness of my consumer rights. I question why I should not take legal action against PTCL in the consumer court to protect my rights. Despite the relatively small amount in question, I am willing to navigate the complexities of legal proceedings in the interest of all PTCL consumers across Pakistan whose consumers rights are being blatantly violated .
It is crucial to ensure that ethical norms prevail and that the custodians of the law such as Pakistan Telecommunications Authority hold companies like PTCL accountable. They should not be allowed to act as a state within a state, disregarding rules and manipulating them to suit their financial interests, even if it means causing inconvenience and hardship to consumers. The initial call that led to this predicament of installation of PTCL connection that subsequently numerous calls couldn’t undo is self – explanatory of the double standards that exists in PTCL as their corporate culture .
PTCL’s service has proven to be deeply unsatisfactory, with poor internet quality, billing discrepancies, and unjustified disconnections. This writeup serves as a testament to the need for consumer protection and the pursuit of justice against a corporate giant like PTCL. It is my hope that by sharing this experience, the country can work towards a system where Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, as regulatory body Telecommunications in Pakistan ensures ethical standards prevail amongst the service providers, and the rights of ordinary consumers are upheld failing which the consumers courts remain the last resort to ensure such injustice cease in the society where ordinary citizens face victimisation and denied justice by those whose primary objective remain to fleece consumers with impunity when no law or regulatory body prevent them do so.