The mobile service provider and authorities confirm this notice is fake

The purported notice has been shared more than 1,200 times since it was published here on Facebook on November 24, 2019.

The announcement bears the PTA logo and the link to its website, pta.gov.pk. 

The Urdu-language text in the image translates to English as: "Public Notice. All Telenor customers are advised by PTA to use their balance (prepaid credit) at the earliest and if customers are using Easypaisa (mobile vault) then they should transfer their money into a bank account or to another network and if the customers do not want to change their (mobile phone) numbers then they should port their network to any other network by December 10, 2019. From December 11, 2019 no (telecom) service of Telenor will work". 

Telenor Pakistan is a local mobile data and digital services provider owned by Norwegian company Telenor group. 

The English-language caption of the Facebook post states: “End of Telenor Service for ever in pak watan”. 

Below is a screenshot of the misleading Facebook post: 

Image

Screenshot of the misleading Facebook post

The same image was shared here, here, here and here on Facebook. 

However, the claim is false; both the PTA and Telenor have refuted the claim and confirmed the notice is fake. 

"PTA is aware of a false advertisement circulating via WhatsApp chat groups for users of a mobile operator. PTA clarifies that the aforementioned advertisement is fake,” the Authority stated in a tweet published on November 25, 2019. 

Image

Telenor has also issued a clarification via advertisements in local newspapers, such as here in English-language newspaper The News on November 26. 

The electronic version of the ad states in part: "We would like to inform all the valuable customers of Telenor Pakistan that a fake notification attributed to PTA regarding discontinuation of our services has been circulating, which has been disowned by PTA itself. 

"We remain committed to the people of Pakistan and will continue to provide quality service to all Pakistanis." 

Below is a photo of the ad: 

Image

Telenor advertisement in a local newspaper

The fake notice started circulated on social media and messaging apps after a copy of the Koran was burned during an anti-Muslim rally in Kristiansand, Norway, on November 16, Norwegian broadcaster NRK reported here on November 20. 

Below is a video of the rally uploaded to YouTube by Oslo-based photographer Lena Andreassen:

The incident drew condemnation from Muslim-majority Pakistan, prompting demonstrations in the country. 

This photograph taken by AFP on November 25 shows one of the protests staged in the city of Lahore. 

The caption of the AFP photo states: "Activists of Rawadari Tehreek (Movement for tolerance) protest over the incident of desecration of the Muslim holy book, the Koran, in the Norwegian city of Kristiansand, in Lahore on November 25, 2019. The Ambassador of Norway was called to the foreign office on November 23 to convey the deep concern of the government and people of Pakistan over the incident of desecration of the Holy Quran in the Norwegian city of Kristiansand. Arif ALI / AFP". 

Below is a screenshot of the AFP photo:

Image

The burning of the Koran also caused a diplomatic row between the two countries.

Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Norwegian ambassador on November 23 over the incident and issued a statement on its website, which reads in part:

"The Ambassador of Norway was called to the Foreign office today to convey the deep concern of the government and people of Pakistan over the incident of desecration of the Holy Quran in the Norwegian city of Kristiansand. 

“Pakistan's condemnation of this action was reiterated. It was underscored that such actions hurt the sentiments of 1.3 billion Muslims around the world, including those in Pakistan. Furthermore, such actions could not be justified in the name of freedom of expression." 

Below is a screenshot of the statement: 

Image