NA Committee Raises Concerns Over Delayed Tech Advancements

National Assembly’s Standing Committee on IT and Telecommunications has voiced its dissatisfaction with the slow progress in key areas of digital infrastructure, including the launch of Starlink services, Chinese companies, and the construction of IT parks in Pakistan.

The committee also raised concerns over the non-utilization of Rs 6 billion allocated for the Karachi IT Park project this year and the delay in implementing crucial policies such as the Personal Data Protection Bill and Artificial Intelligence Policy.

At the 11th meeting of the committee, Syed Aminul Haq, Chairman of the IT & Telecom Standing Committee, urged immediate action on several fronts to accelerate Pakistan’s digital transformation. He highlighted the urgent need for the government to release grants to the Universal Service Fund (USF), which would ensure improved broadband services in rural areas and foster the nationwide fiberization process.

The meeting, which included key figures such as Syed Mustafa Kamal, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, and CEO of USF Chaudhry Mudassar Naveed, also examined the Special Communication Organization’s broadband services in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, with officials instructed to expedite improvements. The committee was also alarmed by the Rs 78 billion unpaid dues from LDI license companies, and discussions on activating a Telecom Tribunal to resolve the matter swiftly were held.

Further discussions centered on the growing need for more significant government intervention to support telecom companies in rural areas. Haq stressed that while urban areas receive considerable investments from telecom companies, it is government grants that will allow essential broadband services to reach underdeveloped areas, thus enabling the country’s digital growth and supporting its IT export goals.

“Our connection to the digital world depends on swift, decisive steps to modernize infrastructure and policies,” said Syed Aminul Haq, urging the government to take swift action in order to integrate Pakistan into the global technological race. The committee is now set to request proposals for additional funding for the USF to ensure the comprehensive deployment of broadband services across the country.