A parliamentary panel has expressed its displeasure over the Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited's (PTCL) failure to provide the list of its properties despite clear directions. It has directed the company which was privatized in 2007 to submit the list at its next meeting
The National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology (IT) on Thursday met in the Parliament House under the chairmanship of MNA Syed Aminul Haq.
During the meeting, the PTCL, referring to a clause in the Sales and Purchase Agreement, stated that it retains the right to buy and sell properties.
The committee was informed that the Privatization Commission serves as the custodian of the sales and purchase agreement of the PTCL and oversees all related matters.
Additionally, it was clarified that PTCL cannot sell any property without prior approval from its board.
Etisalat, which owns a major share in the PTCL, has yet to make 33% of its payments, despite the government transferring property titles to it.
The minister of state for information technology, Shaza Fatima Khawaja briefed the committee that a special committee, led by the finance minister and including all stakeholders, has been formed to address this issue.
The committee directed the minister to present the findings of the special committee in the next meeting for review and resolution. It noted that the sales and purchase agreement of the PTCL with Etisalat should also be shared with it.
The committee also instructed that the minister and secretary of law & justice be invited in the next meeting to present their perspectives.
It also deferred the discussion on the Digital Nation Pakistan Bill. The NA committee will hold deliberations on the proposed piece of legislation in the next meeting and will get input from PPP members and other parties.
NA Leader of Opposition Omar Ayub criticized the frequent internet shutdowns, allegedly orchestrated by intelligence agencies. He said due to these internet outages, the country is facing substantial economic losses, amounting to millions of dollars.
He said the government had claimed that the internet issue would be resolved by October 31 but people were still experiencing a slow internet speed. He also raised concerns about the misuse of VPNs, which he claimed are being used against the people.
Shaza Fatima Khawaja pointed to increasing terrorism incidents and internal security challenges. She claimed that Pakistan exported $1.5 billion last month despite connectivity issues.
She assured the committee that the problems have been resolved and revealed that talks were underway with Starlink to bring satellite internet to Pakistan.
PPP leader Sharmila Farooqi criticized the lack of progress after four meetings, citing significant losses suffered by businesses like her husband's e-commerce company.
"Every time the PTI announces a protest, the internet is shut down. Are we fools to keep attending these meetings when no solutions are provided?" she questioned.
Syed Aminul Haq emphasized the importance of uninterrupted, high-speed internet to boost IT exports to $15 billion. "We must ensure the internet is always fast and reliable," he said.
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