The Universal Service Fund (USF) project awarded to PTCL in Quetta has come under scrutiny after an official audit flagged several compliance and procedural irregularities. The Rs43.207 million agreement was signed on September 26, 2023, to connect two union councils, Baleli and Nobar, with an unserved population of 28,658 by deploying 7.7 km of optical fibre cable (OFC).
According to the audit report, PTCL submitted a declaration of good standing with the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) that dated back to April 24, 2008, making it irrelevant for FY2023-24. Furthermore, the approval was granted by the PTA chairman rather than the full authority, as required under Section 3(9) of the Pakistan Telecommunication Reorganization Act (PTRA), 1996.
The audit also revealed that the cost details lacked a proper route diagram for the OFC at the planning stage, and no As-Built Laying Diagram was available after completion. This absence made it difficult to verify excavation routes, pole placement, and other installation details. Although USF’s in-house technical audit reviewed trench depth, HDPE pipes, and OFC placement, the lack of diagrams limited proper verification of the work.
Another concern was raised over the project timeline. PTCL marked its milestone completion on December 1, 2023, while the No-Objection Certificate (NOC) for Right of Way was issued on December 26, 2023, by the Metropolitan Corporation of Quetta. The audit noted that no invoice for Right of Way charges was found in the records.
The findings have cast doubt on transparency and compliance in PTCL’s execution of the Quetta project, with auditors urging stricter checks on future awards under USF to ensure adherence to regulations and technical requirements.