Remote Gilgit Baltistan Valley’s Network Problems Put SCO Under Information Commission Scrutiny
ISLAMABAD: A right to information dispute over mobile phone coverage in Chorbat Valley of Gilgit Baltistan has brought the Special Communications Organization (SCO) under scrutiny before the Pakistan Information Commission, after the organisation said all four towers in the area were operational but did not provide the two-year outage and maintenance record sought by an activist.
Aun Ali, an RTI and transparency activist from Quetta, has challenged SCO’s reply before the Commission, maintaining that information about the present status of towers does not answer questions about service breakdowns during the previous two years. He has asked the Commission to direct SCO to share existing technical records or clearly state if such records are not maintained.
The matter took a new turn when Aun Ali travelled to Islamabad and visited the Information Commission’s office to submit his point-by-point rejoinder to SCO’s written reply. In a video account of the visit, he said he had hoped to meet the Commissioner and explain the difficulties faced by residents of Chorbat Valley. However, according to him, the Commissioner left after a hearing without meeting him. He said the Registrar informed him that a meeting could take place on Tuesday.
Aun Ali said he had come from Quetta to pursue the case because he wanted to present the concerns of people living in a remote part of Gilgit Baltistan. He expressed disappointment over not being given an opportunity to explain his position and said he was waiting for the next hearing and decision.
The appeal, numbered 5914 08/2026, relates to mobile network services provided by SCO in Chorbat Valley, District Ghanche. Aun Ali filed his original right to information request on July 29, 2026. SCO submitted its written response on October 15, while the activist filed his rejoinder on November 4, 2026.
In its reply, SCO stated that four mobile towers were serving Chorbat Valley and that all were operational at the time of its response. It said daily outages, if any, remained within normal operational limits. SCO also argued that the applicant had not provided technical evidence to support the claim of repeated outages lasting two consecutive days.
Aun Ali, however, contends that he had not merely asked whether the towers were functioning on the day of the reply. He had sought monthly uptime and outage records for the last two years, including dates, duration, affected areas and recorded reasons for service interruptions. He says SCO’s statement about the current condition of towers does not meet that request.
He also requested copies of fault reports, inspection records, maintenance logs, repair details and corrective action taken on the four towers. SCO replied that its technical staff addressed faults on a best-effort basis and said the applicant had not identified any specific tower, date or fault. Aun Ali maintains that he had clearly identified the area and the two-year period and was seeking available records for all towers serving the valley.
The activist further asked whether SCO had any approved, proposed or ongoing plan to upgrade, expand or replace mobile network facilities in Chorbat Valley. He sought project proposals, feasibility reports, approvals, estimated costs, funding details and expected completion dates.
SCO responded that network expansion depended on technical feasibility, population density, access to the area, financial viability and availability of public funds. It said future projects would need approval and funding. Aun Ali says this general response does not clarify whether any specific project for Chorbat Valley has been proposed, approved or funded.
Quality of service is another part of the dispute. Aun Ali had asked for service standards and performance targets used by SCO, along with area-specific reports showing whether those standards were met during the previous two years. SCO referred to a recent Pakistan Telecommunication Authority quality of service survey, saying it had secured first position.
Aun Ali argues that a first position in a general survey does not establish the quality of service in Chorbat Valley. He has sought the relevant PTA report and any available local test results, complaints and corrective action records specifically related to the valley.
The effect of electricity failures on mobile connectivity has also been raised. SCO acknowledged that commercial power outages in the valley could affect mobile services and advised the applicant to approach the relevant Gilgit Baltistan power authorities for electricity outage details.
Aun Ali clarified that he was not asking SCO to provide electricity records of another department. He said he wanted SCO’s own information showing how power interruptions affect its towers, how much downtime is caused by power cuts, what backup power arrangements exist and what steps are taken to keep services operational.
In its written reply, SCO said it had processed the request and provided information available with its technical department. It also argued that the Right of Access to Information Act does not require a public body to create new records, technical analysis or compilations that it does not already maintain. SCO denied deliberately withholding permissible information and asked the Commission to treat the appeal as satisfactorily answered and dispose of it.
Aun Ali has requested the Commission to place his rejoinder on record, direct SCO to disclose existing records in electronic form where available, and require the department to clearly identify which records are not maintained or cannot be traced. He has also asked that the appeal should not be decided only on the ground that all four towers are currently operational.
The case underscores the communication challenges faced by residents of remote areas and the need for clear information about public services. The Commission’s decision will determine whether SCO is required to provide further records or whether its existing reply fulfils the requirements of the information law.
