Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Major General (R) Hafeezur Rehman, has criticized the government for failing to invest in Pakistan’s telecom infrastructure, which he says is the root cause of persistent internet issues in the country. Speaking at a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on IT and Telecom on Thursday, the PTA chairman called for urgent government action to address the challenges facing Pakistan’s internet and telecom sectors.
The PTA chairman highlighted that no new submarine cables have been added in the past decade, a critical shortfall that has hindered the development of “digital highways” necessary for a modern and reliable internet system. He revealed that three out of seven submarine cables were damaged last year, disrupting internet services for five months until repairs were completed in October.
He also pointed out that internet service providers rely on the government to lay fiber optic cables and expand connectivity, but no funds have been allocated for these essential projects. Additionally, he raised concerns about telecom equipment theft during power outages, which further exacerbates connectivity issues.
Social Media Regulation and Internet Shutdowns
Addressing concerns about social media regulation, the PTA chairman clarified that the authority operates under government directives as outlined in the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). While the PTA has the power to block or reopen platforms, he dismissed allegations of intentionally slowing down internet services. He also acknowledged that internet shutdowns are problematic, a rare admission from the authority.
Poor Mobile Internet Services and Connectivity Gaps
Chairman of the committee, Syed Aminul Haq, expressed frustration over the poor quality of mobile internet services, particularly on major routes like Karachi-Hyderabad. He criticized the lack of solutions for connectivity problems in underserved areas and called for immediate action to address these gaps.
The committee also discussed plans to expand internet access to 1,000 villages and improve infrastructure on motorways and in remote areas.
Surveillance and VPN Concerns
Surveillance issues were also raised during the meeting. Omar Ayub accused the government of misusing monitoring tools, including the registration requirements for Virtual Private Networks (VPNs). The PTA chairman, however, denied any intentional misuse of these tools.
PTCL Privatization Proceeds Still Unrecovered
The committee took serious note of the non-recovery of $800 million in proceeds from the privatization of Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) by Etisalat, a matter unresolved for the past 18 years. Minister of State for IT, Shaza Fatima, informed the committee that a high-level committee chaired by the Finance Minister is working to resolve the issue. The committee chairman has summoned the Law Minister and Justice officials to clarify PTCL’s asset management practices.
