Wateen Telecom must pay Rs6.25 billion in outstanding dues to keep its Long Distance and International (LDI) License. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) announced the license renewal on July 21, 2025, for another 20 years starting July 26, 2024. The license, originally issued in 2004, will remain valid only if Wateen meets several strict conditions.
The PTA directed Wateen to clear Rs6.25 billion in unpaid Access Promotion Contribution (APC) for the Universal Service Fund (USF). The company must deposit the funds into a Ministry of IT & Telecommunication (MoIT&T) account and notify the authority. If Wateen disputes the amount, it can place the money in an escrow account under Regulation 10(4) of the 2005 Access Promotion Regulations.
Escrow Deposit for Disputed Fee
Wateen also needs to deposit Rs78.9 million in an escrow account. This amount includes Rs49.4 million in principal and Rs29.5 million in Late Payment Additional Fee (LPAF). The fee comes from a 2012 enforcement order and is currently under litigation.
Before signing the renewed license, Wateen must meet condition 3.2.6 of the new LDI License Template. The company must either:
- Submit a detailed plan to build and deploy its own telecom system, or
- Provide a binding agreement to lease an existing system.
Renewal Fee in US Dollars
Wateen must also pay a $500,000 renewal fee, along with any applicable LPAF. The amount will be converted to rupees using the National Bank of Pakistan’s TT selling rate from the business day before payment.
PTA has set August 20, 2025, as the deadline. If Wateen fails to meet the conditions, the authority will cancel the license. The company’s services under License No. LDI-10 (17)-2004 will then be shut down. Even if the license is canceled, Wateen must still pay all dues and fees, including any additional LPAF, until that date.
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