- Despite assurances from MoITT, services of paid apps are suspended.
- In-app purchases can only be made by credit card.
- The problem will be solved in two weeks, IT Ministry.
ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecom (MOITT) on Friday confirmed that Google has suspended the purchase of carrier-paid apps in Pakistan through mobile phones due to non-payment of outstanding dues.
The MoITT said this would be a temporary suspension.
The dreaded suspension comes after repeated assurances from IT Minister Aminul Haque.
A day earlier, on Haq’s advice, the finance ministry approved the release of blocked payments to international service providers, including Google.
During the suspension, users can only download paid apps on the Google Play Store via credit card.
“The issue will be resolved within two weeks,” IT ministry officials said.
Officials of the IT Ministry said that the Federal IT Minister had directed the authorities to resolve the issue as soon as possible.
The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has suspended payments of $34 million to international service providers, due to which incoming mobile users will be required to use their mobile balance to pay for paid Google Play Store services from December 1, 2022. could be unable to download . .
After the SBP stopped the Direct Carrier Billing (DCB) mechanism, payments of $34 million to international service providers like Google, Amazon and Meta were stopped.
DCB is an online mobile payment system that enables customers to make purchases by paying their mobile phone carrier bill.
Telecommunications companies allow customers to purchase these products through airtime and send funds abroad as fees for IT-related services.
However, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Finance Tariq Bajwa contacted Haq and expressed his views on the suspended payments.
Later, the IT minister confirmed that the finance ministry had agreed to release the payments as per the schedule.
He assured that “Paid Google Play apps will not be suspended in Pakistan,” pointing out that the Finance Ministry has directed the State Bank to delay the implementation of the policy — which suspended payments. Gone — for a month.
He said that telecom operators have one month to implement the payment mechanism.
The minister added that the IT Ministry had written to Finance Minister Ishaq Dar seeking a time frame for the above implementation on the request of telecom operators to help the ministry.