An important meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on IT and Telecom was held under the chairpersonship of Senator Palwasha Khan, where key issues including social media regulations, the financial condition of the telecom sector, and the launch of 5G services were discussed.
During the meeting delay in the rollout of 5G services was also discussed. Senators remarked sarcastically that 5G has yet to launch despite users frequently checking their phones.
The PTA chairman said plans are being obtained from telecom operators and progress is expected within six months.
He also cited the lack of a required technical update (patch) from Apple Inc. as one reason for the delay. However, the IT Secretary assured that 5G services will be activated on Apple devices in May.
Besides, The committee also raised serious questions regarding the recovery of $800 million owed to the Government of Pakistan by the Etisalat Group. The committee chair questioned why Pakistan has not been able to recover its dues when other countries have succeeded.
Senator Afnanullah added that with profit, the amount could reach billions of dollars. The committee decided to hold a joint session with the Senate Privatization Committee on this issue.
Furthermore, Senator Palwasha Khan alleged bias on social media platform X, claiming that content against Israel is removed, including a tweet by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif. In response, the PTA chairman said no formal complaint had been received regarding the matter and clarified that the account in question was personal.
Financial matters of the telecom sector were also discussed, with concern expressed over Ufone’s losses over the past five years. The IT Secretary noted that Ufone is owned by PTCL.
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