The government has dismissed reports suggesting that mobile network and internet coverage in Balochistan has been poor over the last three years.
The Minister In-charge of the Cabinet Division, in a written reply to the National Assembly, said the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) conducts regular Quality of Service (QoS) surveys. Any deficiencies observed are promptly shared with operators for correction.
Official records show that 23 surveys were carried out in Balochistan from 2022 to 2025. These surveys covered multiple cities and identified areas where service improvements were needed. The PTA shared results with cellular mobile operators (CMOs), who then took corrective action.
For regions that remained underserved, cases were referred to the Universal Service Fund (USF) to ensure telecom infrastructure development. The Minister highlighted that poor service arises due to multiple factors, including limited spectrum, fiber shortages, Right of Way (RoW) constraints, outages, vandalism, and rising demand.
The government has overseen the installation of more than 700 new mobile sites in Balochistan over the last three years. CMOs are also required to expand coverage annually for at least three percent of the additional population. Advanced technologies such as Massive MIMO, sector splitting, VoWiFi, and VoLTE have been implemented to improve call and data quality.
The PTA also uses Opensignal for independent QoS monitoring and operates a central Complaint Management System (CMS). Citizens can report issues through the website, mobile app, toll-free numbers, or fax.
The government assured that efforts to expand network coverage and improve services in Balochistan will continue. These initiatives aim to strengthen mobile and internet connectivity across the province, ensuring citizens have access to reliable communication services.
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