Four new submarine cables being introduced to boost internet speed, NA panel told

The National Assembly’s (NA) Standing Committee on Information Technology & Telecommunication was informed on Thursday that four new submarine cables were being introduced to enhance the country’s internet performance, according to an official release.

The 9th meeting of the Standing Committee was held under the Chairmanship of Syed Amin ul Haq. The committee stated that Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) had previously informed that the internet situation in the country would improve by October, 2024.

“However, concerns persist regarding ongoing internet issues, which are causing the country financial losses amounting to millions of dollars,” the statement read.

PTA Chairman Major General (retd) Hafeez Ur Rehman briefed the committee that three out of seven submarine cables had been damaged, leading to “significant internet disruptions in the country”.

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He also informed the committee that four new submarine cables were being introduced, which would further enhance the country’s internet performance.

“These developments are expected to address current connectivity challenges and support the growth of the digital economy.”

He further explained that internet shutdowns were enforced by the PTA based on directions from the federal government, the Ministry of Interior, and honorable courts during law and order situations.

Hafeez Ur Rehman assured the committee that the PTA had “no malicious intentions” and that all actions were taken to address the country’s “prevailing circumstances responsibly”.

He further said the current allocation of 270 MHz spectrum was insufficient for the country’s population of 240 million, resulting in network choking issues.

A 5G spectrum auction is planned for April, which will significantly improve the internet situation in the country, according to PTA chairman, who claimed that that over the past six years, PTA contributed Rs1700 billion to the exchequer from the telecom sector.

However, he expressed disappointment over the “lack of government investment in infrastructure improvement and development”.

On Wednesday, the government failed to satisfy the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication regarding blocking internet services in any part of the country, as it was not covered in the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (PECA) Act.

The committee which met with Palwasha Muhammad Zai Khan in the chair, also termed the IT exports target of $14 billion by 2029-30, set by the government as “unrealistic”, on account of lack of infrastructure, internet issues, as well as, low fibre optic in the country.

During the Wednesday’s meeting, the secretary of the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT) acknowledged that internet shutdowns had significant impacts as they emphasised the need to address public perceptions surrounding them.

Last month, PTA in a statement said it had made “significant strides” in enhancing international connectivity through the facilitation of Transworld Associate (TWA), the landing partner of 2Africa submarine cable for Pakistan.

The initiative “will improve Pakistan’s international telecommunications infrastructure and enhance connectivity”, it said then.