PTA told to act immediately: Internet outage dominates NA panel meeting

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on IT and Telecommunication on Tuesday put the country’s internet crisis at the centre of its proceedings, warning that Pakistan’s connectivity challenges have reached an unacceptable level and directing the PTA to take urgent, nationwide action to fix service coverage without further delay.

The committee, which met for its 17th session at the NTC Headquarters under the chairmanship of Syed Amin ul Haq, expressed deep concern that internet issues had persisted for years despite multiple surveys conducted by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). Members noted that citizens across various regions continued to face unreliable coverage and poor service quality.

The committee instructed the PTA to carry out fresh, comprehensive nationwide surveys and take “practical and immediate steps” to improve internet performance. Special surveys will also be conducted in the constituencies of committee members, with a detailed report to be presented at the next meeting. Additionally, the committee directed that a dedicated focal person be appointed for each constituency to ensure direct communication and timely resolution of complaints.

PTA officials informed the committee that the currently available 273 MHz spectrum is insufficient to meet Pakistan’s connectivity needs. They added that a total of 600 MHz spectrum had been allocated across various bands and that consultants had completed their work, allowing the process to advance towards the long-awaited 5G auction. Once the auction is held, PTA said, internet services are expected to improve significantly.

Reviewing the Islamabad IT Park project, the committee was told that the consultant’s contract expired on 31 October, but the renewal process was underway and likely to be finalized soon. The committee underscored that the Prime Minister’s deadline of 31 December for project completion must be met without exception.

About the Karachi IT Park, members were informed that the project remained in the initial stages, with the contract expected to be awarded shortly. A Korean delegation will visit on 2 December to finalize pending matters. The committee directed that the contract be awarded quickly to begin work without further delay and emphasized that the two-year project timeline must be strictly followed.

The committee appreciated NTC’s briefing and expressed satisfaction with its ongoing projects. It advised the organization to maintain its focus while avoiding downsizing, instead opting for rightsizing to ensure employees are properly placed without job losses.

Due to the mover’s absence, the committee deferred discussion on “The Prevention of Obscenity and Indecency in Digital Media Bill, 2025” to the next meeting.

The session was attended by the Federal Minister and Parliamentary Secretary for IT, along with MNAs Ahmad Atteeq Anwar, Zulfiqar Ali Bhatti, Shazia Farid, Dr. Mahesh Kumar Malani, Sadiq Ali Memon, Sharmila Sahiba Faruqi Hashaam, Ahmad Saleem Siddiqui, Pullain Baloch and senior officials of the ministry and attached departments.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025