Senate IT Panel Flags Telecom Sector Woes

In a heated session of the Senate Standing Committee on IT & Telecom, chaired by Senator Palwasha Khan, lawmakers expressed deep frustration over several unresolved issues plaguing Pakistan’s telecom sector. Critical concerns included the delayed 5G spectrum auction, an $800 million unpaid due from PTCL.Official, stalled audits despite Supreme Court directives, and the potential exit of Telenor, all underscored systemic regulatory inertia.

Officials highlighted that Pakistan’s current spectrum holdings, 600 MHz, lag significantly behind countries like Saudi Arabia, which has advanced to 1,200 MHz. Members stressed “If we want to increase revenue, we need to expand spectrum availability.”

The committee called for greater institutional transparency, with Senator Anusha Rahman recommending including NAB and AGPR representatives in the Auction Advisory Committee to ensure transparency. “If NAB is not part of the process, tomorrow there will be audit objections and corruption cases,” she stated. PTA officials confirmed that NAB’s inclusion in the supervisory committee had already been proposed.

Lastly, senators also urged urgent resolution of Telenor’s exit to prevent potential service degradation for users, emphasizing the need for immediate engagement with the operator by government officials.