NA Committee Chairman Criticizes Telcos Over Connectivity Issues

The Chairman of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on IT and Telecommunication, Syed Amin ul Haque, on Monday said that complaints about call drops are common across the country due to connectivity issues, and that telecom companies have become money-making machines.

Haque’s remarks came during a meeting of the standing committee, where he directed the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to further tighten service quality standards.

The minister further said that, like people in other provinces, the people of Balochistan have the full right to be connected to the digital world through mobile networks and the internet. However, security issues pose obstacles in this regard.

He said it is the responsibility of the Ministry of IT to work with the Ministry of Interior, security agencies, PTA, and public representatives to determine which districts can be provided with broadband services and in which areas interruptions are inevitable, considering the security situation. A clear strategy should be formulated in this regard, he added.

During the meeting, Federal Minister for IT Shaza Fatima Khawaja provided detailed information on the Ministry’s use of funds and budget, including updates on the Islamabad IT Park and the One Patient One ID project.

Haque directed the IT minister to immediately convene a meeting and present a report on connectivity in Balochistan. The PTA chairman informed the meeting that internet services have been shut down in Panjgur on the instructions of the Ministry of Interior due to the security situation.

In response, the Secretary of Interior stated that the Ministry of Interior does not issue directives but rather makes recommendations and has written a letter to the provincial government regarding the security situation in Panjgur.

The IT minister said that a decision on this matter can only be made after hearing the position of the security agencies.