ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication on Tuesday expressed serious concern over the lack of progress on the Karachi IT Park project, observing that nearly five years after its launch, the project has yet to achieve any significant milestone.
The committee, which met under the chairmanship of Syed Amin-ul-Haq at the National Telecommunication Corporation (NTC) Headquarters, criticized the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication for failing to effectively pursue and advance the project, warning that continued delays were causing a steady increase in project costs.
The committee noted that although an advertisement had been published for the hiring of a local consultant, bidders had not been effectively engaged and no clear completion timeline had been established. It directed the ministry to submit a comprehensive progress report at the next meeting, detailing the project’s current status, challenges, future roadmap and expected completion date. The committee also emphasized the need to ensure transparency, merit and good governance throughout the project.
Regarding the Islamabad IT Park project, the committee directed the ministry to present a detailed progress report and ensure that the facility is inaugurated during the first week of August as per the proposed schedule. Members observed that the project would help promote innovation, entrepreneurship and digital economy growth while creating opportunities for startups, technology companies, freelancers and students.
The committee also considered the Electronic Transactions (Amendment) Bill, 2026. However, members belonging to the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) raised objections, stating that the proposed amendments had not yet been discussed within the party’s parliamentary legislative forum. Following the reservations, the committee deferred consideration of the bill until its next meeting and directed the ministry to complete consultations with all relevant political parties and stakeholders before resubmitting the legislation.
Discussing internet connectivity issues, the committee expressed concern over inadequate broadband coverage in various parts of the country, noting that several constituencies continue to face poor or non-existent internet services.
Officials of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) informed the committee that efforts were underway to address connectivity challenges through coordination with relevant stakeholders, including power sector authorities. PTA said that electricity outages and load-shedding remain major factors affecting telecom infrastructure and service quality.
The authority further informed the committee that telecom operators are upgrading their networks following the 5G spectrum auction. According to PTA, average 4G internet speeds, currently around 4 Mbps, are expected to improve to approximately 20 Mbps, while the rollout of 5G infrastructure could increase internet speeds to as much as 50 Mbps in the coming years.
The meeting was attended by committee members Dr. Mahesh Kumar Malani, Sadiq Ali Memon, Ahmad Saleem Siddiqui, Asia Ishaque Siddiqui and Ammar Ahmad Khan Leghari, along with officials of the Ministry of IT and its attached departments.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
Comments