NCCIA Head to Face Senate Over Corruption Claims; ICT Commissioner Summoned for Data Protection Briefing

The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication will meet on 9 December 2025 at 11:00 AM to examine a packed agenda that includes the mobile network shutdown in Lakki Marwat, deficiencies in citizen data protection, governance gaps in the telecom sector, and serious bribery allegations involving the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA). The official meeting file raises urgent questions for federal ministries, regulators and enforcement agencies.

Senators will receive a full briefing on the suspension of mobile services in District Lakki Marwat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, an issue originally brought to the Senate by Senator Atta-ur-Rehman on 13 November 2025. Committee members will require a clear explanation of which authority ordered the shutdown, the security or administrative rationale behind it, and what steps were taken to assist residents who were affected by the outage.

The committee has summoned the Secretary Interior and the Deputy Commissioner of Islamabad to explain how personal information collected through the ICT Household Survey app is being secured. In the absence of comprehensive data protection legislation, senators want precise answers about which office will act as the official data repository, which government departments will have access to the information, and what technical and administrative safeguards are currently in place to prevent misuse.

Lawmakers will be briefed on Islamabad’s E-Tag vehicle monitoring system, its data center operations, and the security measures that protect real-time traffic and identification data. The committee will assess whether the system’s design adequately prevents unauthorized access to citizens’ movement and vehicle information.

A central and highly sensitive item on the agenda is the presence of the Director General NCCIA, who has been summoned to respond to media reports alleging that certain NCCIA officials received Rs 1.5 crore per month in payments from illegal call centers. The committee will demand a detailed account of the allegations, the status of any internal inquiries, and what corrective or disciplinary steps have been taken.

Committee members will also examine broader governance issues within the telecom sector. They have requested the latest audit report for PTCL and detailed information about the Ufone Board of Directors, including names, designations, per meeting compensation and the frequency of board meetings over the past two years. Senators will use these details to evaluate transparency, oversight and accountability in major telecom entities.

The Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority will present the current VPN licensing framework, outlining procedural requirements, monitoring arrangements and regulatory challenges. The briefing comes amid concerns about unregulated VPN use and its potential to facilitate illicit digital activity.

The Minister for IT and Telecom will update the committee on the sharp increase in mobile data and call package prices. Senators will press for explanations of the factors driving tariff hikes, any audits or regulatory checks performed before price adjustments, and measures taken to protect consumer rights and affordability.

The CEO of the Universal Service Fund will present a compliance report on connectivity issues raised previously by senators. The report is expected to cover mobile coverage gaps in remote districts, delays in broadband rollout, and corrective steps taken to improve service in underserved regions.