Cellular mobile operators are not allowed to share consumer data with any third parties, the Minister-in-Charge of the Cabinet Division informed the National Assembly in a written response.
The Minister explained that telecom operators are bound by strict confidentiality clauses under their licenses and regulatory frameworks, which prohibit the disclosure of customer information to third parties, including their own affiliates and subsidiaries.
Clauses 7.7.1 and 7.7.2 of the Long Distance and International (LDI) and Local Loop Licenses specify that data sharing is only permitted under certain conditions, such as for debt recovery, inter-operator services, legal requirements, or with prior informed consent from the customer. Even in such cases, only the minimum necessary data may be shared.
Citing Regulation 16 of the Telecom Consumers Protection Regulations, 2009, the Minister said that operators are required to protect the confidentiality of consumer data.
Clause 10.1 of the Third Party Service Provider License also highlights the need for effective consumer protection, directing licensees to maintain complaint-handling systems and safeguard users against fraud, privacy violations, and service disruptions.
No customer data can be disclosed unless it falls under the stated exceptions or the consumer has given explicit and informed consent after being fully briefed on the purpose and recipient of the data.
The reply emphasized that any disclosure without meeting these legal requirements would violate license conditions and consumer protection laws.
The Ministry reiterated that telecom companies must handle consumer information responsibly and ensure compliance with all legal safeguards to prevent misuse of personal data.
Addressing rising cases of fraudulent communication, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has launched several initiatives.
Over 1.065 billion awareness messages have been sent to inform users about scam calls and text messages.
Special ringback tones from the State Bank of Pakistan and the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan have also been introduced on mobile networks to educate consumers about fraud risks.
Additionally, PTA has blocked masked Universal Access Numbers (UANs) used by scammers, particularly those impersonating banks at international gateways.
The authority has also set up an online Complaint Management System (CMS) with a specific category for fraudulent communication reports, allowing consumers to easily report suspicious activity and receive prompt assistance.