Cellular mobile operators cannot share consumer data with the third party, the Cabinet Division Minister in charge informed the National Assembly through a written response.
The Minister said that telecom operators are strictly bound by their licenses and related regulations, which ban third party from disclosing consumer information, including their own affiliates and subsidiaries. Long Distance and International (LDI) and local run licenses outline 7.7.1 and 7.7.2 that such data can be shared only under specific exceptions, such as depositing loan, providing inter -operator service, legal responsibilities, or pre -conscious consent. Even in these cases, joint data should be limited to the least desired.
The Minister added that telecom consumer protection rules, Regulation 16 of 2009 were cited, which orders operators to ensure the privacy of consumer data. In addition, clause of the third -party service provider emphasizes the importance of safety of 10.1 consumers, which requires licenses to maintain an effective system of complaint and protect consumers against fraud, privacy violations and delays in services. No customer’s data can be shared unless it comes under the exceptions or the user has given a clear, informed consent after writing a complete letter on the nature, purpose and recipient of the data.
The answer emphasized that without fulfilling these requirements, the terms of the disclosure license and the laws of conservation of consumer protection are a clear violation. The ministry made it clear that operators should work responsibly and ensure that dealing with any data will fully comply with the legal provisions to protect users’ privacy protection and misuse of personal information.
In response to the growing concerns over fake communication, the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) has initiated many measures. More than 1.065 billion public awareness messages have been spread to inform users about scam calls and SMS. In addition, the State Bank of Pakistan and the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan, the special color backtones, have been mobilized on mobile networks to inform consumers about the dangers of fraud.
The PTA has also taken action to stop the masked Universal Axis numbers (UANS) used by fraudsters on international gateways, especially those banks. In addition, the authority has set up an online complaint management system (CMS), which has a dedicated category for fake communication complaints, making it easier for users to report suspicious activity and get timely help.