ISLAMABAD: A Senate committee has warned officials of the Ministry of Information Technology after they declined to disclose details about the composition of boards of state-owned telecom entities. The matter came under discussion during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on IT and Telecom, chaired by Senator Palwasha Khan, where frustration grew over the ministry’s reluctance to share the names, perks, and criteria for appointing board members of PTCL and Ufone. The special secretary for IT maintained that the details could not be immediately provided, even though the committee had originally asked for the information on August 25. After repeated exchanges, the ministry was directed to present the complete details in the next meeting, with Senator Khan warning that a privilege motion could be considered if the secrecy continued.
The meeting also discussed long-standing concerns regarding PTCL’s accounts not being audited by the Auditor General of Pakistan. The IT ministry reiterated that PTCL was managed under private-sector arrangements, although it added that the ministry had no objection to an AGP-led review. The matter underscored tensions between accountability requirements and the operational autonomy of partially privatized telecom operators.
Another key agenda item was the 5G spectrum auction, for which the prime minister has set a December deadline. PTA informed the committee that the auction framework faced hurdles, including litigation over 140MHz spectrum in the 2,600MHz band held by Southern Network Ltd. While there is no stay order, the spectrum has not been released, causing delays. Committee members noted that Zong was currently using over 6.6MHz of spectrum in the same band and that the issue remained before the courts. In parallel, the planned merger of Telenor Pakistan with PTCL raised further concern, with Senator Anusha Rehman urging the ministry to engage Telenor to reconsider its decision to exit Pakistan. The Frequency Allocation Board presented its preparations for the upcoming auction, signaling the importance of resolving disputes before policy execution.
The committee also received a detailed briefing from the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency, which flagged scams amounting to billions of rupees as a serious threat to financial trust and digital inclusion. Members highlighted the need for stronger enforcement against online frauds that undermine confidence in digital services. During the same session, a heated exchange took place between PTA representatives and officials from the Auditor General’s office regarding audit observations against Jazz. The AGP alleged that the operator overcharged customers by Rs6.58 billion through quarterly tariff hikes of up to 15 per cent, a claim that PTA representatives disputed. The committee directed both institutions to provide a full record of the case and confirmed that the matter would remain under review in upcoming sessions.
Senators Pervaiz Rashid, Dr Mohammad Humayun Mohmand, Dr Afnan Ullah, Saifullah Nyazee, and Nadeem Ahmed Bhutto participated in the meeting, where discussions highlighted ongoing challenges in transparency, telecom governance, and digital policy implementation. The proceedings placed a strong focus on ensuring clarity in board appointments, addressing delays in spectrum management, and improving oversight in both financial and cybersecurity domains.
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