ISLAMABAD: On Tuesday, a parliamentary committee noted the delay in internet services across the country and chastised the telecom industry regulator for it.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) was instructed by the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on IT and Telecom to carry out thorough statewide assessments and take immediate action to guarantee dependable and quick internet services throughout the nation.
Syed Amin ul Haq, the chairman of the committee, gave the pertinent officials instructions to carry out special surveys using PTA teams in order to evaluate the caliber of internet services offered to the general population and to deliver a thorough report at the committee’s subsequent meeting.
PTA representatives briefed the committee, stating that although there was now 273 MHz spectrum available in the nation, it was not enough to satisfy the growing demand for high-speed internet. They went on to say that the government intends to sell off 600 MHz of spectrum in a number of different bands, with the rollout of 5G being the next step in the process.
The committee learned that the consultant’s contract had expired on October 31 while assessing the Islamabad IT Park project’s progress. The renewal procedure has been started by the contractor and is anticipated to be completed soon.
The NA panel emphasized that the project must be completed by the prime minister’s deadline of December 31, 2025.
The committee stated that the Karachi IT Park project is still in its early phases and that a contract award is anticipated shortly.
On December 2, a group from South Korea is expected to come in order to settle any outstanding issues pertaining to the contract award.
The committee emphasized that the project must be finished within the allotted two years and instructed officials to award the contract as soon as possible so that construction may start right away.
The National Telecommunication Corporation’s (NTC) managing director also informed the panel on the company’s upcoming projects, such as the creation of new data centers in Karachi and Quetta and secure mobile connectivity for government officials.
These activities are part of a larger strategic plan to improve cybersecurity and increase dependable IT and telecom services for public sector organizations, the panel was informed.
The committee recognized that NTC’s continuing projects were satisfactory and expressed gratitude for the organization’s performance. It recommended that NTC use a rightsizing strategy rather than downsizing in order to guarantee that no employee is fired and that workers are suitably reassigned to positions where their services are actually needed.
Because the bill’s mover was not present, the committee postponed the Prevention of Obscenity and Indecency in Digital Media Bill, 2025 to the following meeting.
SOURCE: DAWN NEWS
