The Parliamentary Panel on Monday expressed serious concerns over a delay in submitting documents related to a property transaction and recommended disciplinary action against Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL).
MNA Aminul Haque of MQM chaired the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication. The chairman expressed displeasure over PTCL's failure to respond in time to queries regarding the sale and purchase agreements of its properties. PTCL President and Etisalat Group CEO Hatem Bamtaref, who attended the meeting via Zoom, was criticised for the delayed submission of briefing papers.
Committee member Sher Ali called for formal action against PTCL, stating that reprimands were insufficient. Mahesh Kumar also raised concerns about the stalled merger between Ufone and Telenor. He accused Telenor of intentionally causing service disruptions. The PTA chairman said the merger case is currently under review by the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP).
Another member, Sadiq Memon, expressed serious concerns about reports of Microsoft scaling down its operations in Pakistan.
Minister of State for IT and Telecom Shaza Fatima Khawaja clarified that Microsoft and Google have engaged in large-scale certification programmes in Pakistan. While Microsoft had laid off 16,000 employees globally over the past year, she said it remains unclear if any Pakistan-based employees were affected. She also revealed ongoing efforts to convert Microsoft's liaison office into a full operational setup in Pakistan and hinted at Google's potential entry into the local market.
During the session of the NA body, Etisalat Group's Bamtaref underscored strong UAE-Pakistan ties and added that the group was focusing on emerging technologies like 5G and artificial intelligence.
Officials from the Privatisation Commission informed the panel that PTCL's privatisation was finalised in 2006 under an international agreement, though they offered to share further details in an in-camera session. Committee members objected to the lack of prior notice for this request. PTCL officials clarified that the property agreement in question was between the Government of Pakistan and Etisalat and had no direct linkage with PTCL. The chairman postponed the agenda item to the next session and agreed to hold the upcoming meeting in-camera.
On broader telecom issues, committee member Zulfiqar Ali lodged complaints about weak mobile signals in his constituency. The USF CEO assured him that the approved project would be completed.
The PTA chairman also briefed the parliamentary panel on the status of Long Distance and International (LDI) operators, revealing that 9 out of 21 companies have pending license renewal cases, with over 100 related matters in court. Due to the complexity, the IT minister recommended forming a sub-committee to hear all stakeholders. The chairman agreed to this proposal.
The PTA chairman confirmed that the interior ministry had ordered the suspension of internet services in Panjgur due to security concerns. He also revealed that over 100 telecom towers have been damaged in Balochistan, including three completely destroyed between July 9 and 12. Committee member Pauline Baloch emphasised the worsening law and order situation in Balochistan, noting that roads remained blocked for hours and basic services were under threat. Khawaja proposed holding a joint meeting to address these challenges.
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