Senate panelslams telecom authority

Seeks timeline for resolution of internet outages issue

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on Thursday came under fire for refusal to give a briefing on the persistent internet slowdown at a Senate panel meeting, where its members threatened to stage a walkout in protest.

The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology, in a meeting chaired by Senator Palwasha Khan, expressed its dissatisfaction with the PTA. It also voiced dismay over the absence of PTA chairman from the meeting. Senator Afnanullah noted that the PTA declined to give briefing on internet-related issues, though it had spoken at a huddle of the National Assembly committee. He warned that if that behaviour continued, the members would stage a walkout, reminding the PTA that it was a upper house committee.

PTA officials reported that recent internet disruptions were due to the malfunctioning of a submarine cable, adding that increased internet traffic, exacerbated by the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), put additional strain on the system. Afnanullah sought a specific timeline for resolving the issue, responding to which PTA officials said that the telecom authority would take action when the Ministry of Interior made a request.

They cited the recent closure of Twitter on the request of the Ministry of Interior as an example, noting that Twitter had not been cooperating with the PTA. PTA officials said a fault was discovered in one of Pakistan's seven submarine cables on June 18, which connected the country to the global internet. They reported that the total data capacity of those cables was 3.5 terabytes per second, with 1.5 terabytes currently being compromised due to the fault.

Senator Afnanullah requested the PTA not to block VPNs while Senator Anusha Rehman questioned the effectiveness of certain measures, saying what was the use of such steps when Twitter was still running.

Chairperson Palwasha Khan voiced frustration at the PTA's apparent lack of transparency, stating, "I asked for names and salaries of 21 consultants, but you haven't provided them." She questioned the PTA's move to close certain apps and whether such practices existed in other countries.

Anusha Rehman quoted example of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where WhatsApp calls were blocked and residents used VPNs to bypass the restrictions.

At the meeting, officials of the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) gave a briefing. However, Minister of State for IT Shaza Fatima Khawaja was not present.

According to officials, 26,000 IT companies are registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP). The global IT market is valued at $5 trillion with Pakistan contributing less than 0.04%. This year, IT products accounted for 24% of Pakistan's IT sector growth, the officials reported. Last year, Pakistan's IT sector also grew by 24%.

There are 2,124 companies offering web design services, 452 network security companies and 616 companies specialising in data storage and management that are currently exporting their services. The largest number of IT companies are in consulting, with 3,463 firms providing services.

Senator Palwasha Khan directed officials to provide a report on the quality of education at all IT training institutes in Pakistan. Additionally, details regarding internships and scholarships provided to students under the PSEB were sought. Officials responded that according to the prime minister's instructions 19,000 students were expected to receive certifications.

Delay in setting up IT park

Senator Anusha Rehman questioned the delay in the Islamabad IT Park project. Although an agreement had been reached with Exim Bank in 2018, the project is yet to be completed.

Officials stated that the project was expected to be completed by February 2025, ahead of the original deadline of June 2025. The delay was attributed to issues linked with Korean funding company and complications with the construction contractor. Additionally, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) allocated land for the project somewhat late, which contributed to the delay.

The IT ministry secretary dismissed claims of any further delay, stressing that the Islamabad IT Park would be completed according to the schedule. Officials also revealed that the Karachi IT Park project would cost $187 million and an agreement had been signed with Exim Bank last year. The design for the park has been completed.

IT industry faces Rs12b loss

Separately, the IT industry, while warning about the challenges posed to the country's economy, told the prime minister that it was going to suffer an annual loss of Rs12 billion due to slow internet speed.

In the current scenario, it said, Pakistan would fail to achieve the IT export target of $25 billion in the coming years. The Telecom Operators Association, in a letter sent to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, said that a vital asset at Pakistan's disposal to help overcome its economic woes through increase in IT exports, was facing $3 million loss per day due to the slow internet speed.

"The foundation of the IT sector comprises telecom infrastructure and internet connectivity. It is important to mention that the telecom sector is a multi-sectoral enabler beyond just IT – it supports operations and growth in commerce, healthcare, education, financial and banking services, public sector operations and more," it said.

The association added that unfortunately the financial condition of the telecom sector in Pakistan was already strained and the recent internet slowdown would further deprive the sector of approximately Rs12 billion annually due to the reduction in internet traffic.

It revealed that the daily internet traffic decreased by approximately 6,400 terabytes due to the slowdown, which would significantly increase the financial stress on the telecom sector. The corresponding loss to the exchequer, due to the reduced revenue in the telecom sector, would exceed Rs3 billion annually, it said. "The health of the telecom sector is crucial because other sectors rely on telecom infrastructure for their operations and growth."