Pakistan’s Ministry of Information Technology has directed the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority to develop a regulatory policy for incoming international calls, in a move aimed at improving revenue generation, strengthening security, and increasing transparency in the country’s international call routing system.
Sources cited by ProPakistani indicate that international calls are currently routed through Long Distance International operators, and that consultations with relevant companies and institutions are ongoing ahead of formal policy approval. The PTA is also preparing to actively monitor incoming international call traffic as part of the planned tightening of controls over international telecom operations.
The ministry confirmed that approval for the new framework will be granted once the consultation process is completed, with no timeline disclosed. The regulation is intended to address gaps in the existing call management system, improve checks and balances, and enhance the overall revenue model for international termination traffic — a segment that has been significantly eroded in Pakistan, as in most markets, by the shift of voice traffic to OTT platforms such as WhatsApp.
