The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has rejected social media claims that mobile device taxes can now be paid in instalments, describing the widely circulated notification as fake and misleading.
In a clarification, the PTA said it had not issued any notification allowing the payment of mobile phone taxes in instalments and urged the public not to rely on unverified information circulating online.
The authority explained that the assessment, imposition and collection of taxes and duties on mobile devices fall exclusively under the jurisdiction of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). It added that the PTA has no authority to determine, announce or collect such taxes.
According to the regulator, its responsibility is limited to the registration and compliance management of mobile devices through the Device Identification, Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS).
The PTA also noted that its only recent public advisory concerned the scheduled maintenance of the DIRBS platform, during which some services may be temporarily unavailable.
The authority advised citizens to verify information through its official channels and avoid sharing or acting on false claims circulating on social media.
On the other hand, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) confirmed the full restoration of internet services without any disruption across Pakistan.
PTA on Friday confirmed that internet services are continuing without interruption across Pakistan after a fault in the SEA-ME-WE 5 (SMW5) international submarine cable system was repaired.
In a further statement, the officials of the PTA said that the fault had been resolved and that internet connectivity across the country was now operating normally.
The update comes after the PTA had earlier warned that some users could experience intermittent degradation in internet quality and connectivity following a fault in the SEA-ME-WE 5 (SMW5) submarine cable system.
At the time, the authority said Transworld Associates (TWA) was working with the SMW5 Consortium to identify the cause of the fault and restore normal services.
“In the meantime, internet traffic is being rerouted through alternate international links to minimise the impact and ensure service continuity to the greatest extent possible,” the PTA said.
The authority also stated: “PTA remains in close coordination with the concerned stakeholders and will continue to monitor the situation to facilitate the earliest possible restoration of normal internet services across the country.”
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