ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary committee on Tuesday took notice of the nationwide slowdown in internet services and reprimanded the telecom sector regulator over the issue.

At its meeting, the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on IT and Telecom directed the Pakistan Telecommu­nica­tion Authority (PTA) to conduct comprehensive nationwide surveys and take im­­­mediate practical steps to ensure fast and reliable internet services across the country.

Committee chairman Syed Amin ul Haq instructed the relevant officials to conduct special surveys through PTA teams to assess the quality of internet services being provided to the public, and to present a detailed report at the committee’s next meeting.

Briefing the committee, PTA officials said that 273 MHz spectrum was currently available in the country, but it was insufficient to meet the rising demand for high-speed internet. They added that the government plans to auction 600 MHz of spectrum across various bands, with the process now moving towards the rollout of 5G.

Telecom sector regulator ordered to conduct comprehensive surveys and present a detailed report

While reviewing progress of the Islamabad IT Park project, the committee was informed that the consultant’s contract had expired on Oct 31. The contractor has initiated the renewal process, which is expected to be finalised shortly.

The NA panel emphasised that the project must meet the timeline set by the prime minister — Dec 31, 2025.

Regarding the Karachi IT Park, the committee noted that the project remains in its initial stages and that the contract is expected to be awarded soon.

A delegation from South Korea is scheduled to visit on December 2 to finalise the remaining matters related to the contract award.

The committee directed officials to award the contract without further delay so that work can begin promptly, emphasising that the project must be completed within the stipulated two-year period.

The panel was also briefed by the managing director of the National Tele­com­munication Corporation (NTC) on the company’s future initiatives, including secure mobile connectivity for government officials and the establishment of new data centres in Karachi and Quetta.

The panel was told that these initiatives are part of a broader strategic plan aimed at enhancing cybersecurity and expanding reliable IT and telecom services for public sector institutions.

The committee appreciated NTC’s performance and acknowledged that the organisation’s ongoing projects were satisfactory. It advised NTC to refrain from downsizing and instead adopt a rightsizing approach to ensure no employee is laid off, and that staff members are appropriately adjusted and placed where their services are genuinely required.

The committee deferred the Preven­tion of Obscenity and Indecency in Digi­tal Media Bill, 2025, to the next meeting due to the absence of the bill’s mover.

Published in Dawn, November 19th, 2025