The Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat just met under the chairmanship of Rana Mahmood-ul-Hassan. The session exposed severe regulatory disconnects and escalating tensions over Pakistan’s telecom infrastructure. Things took an interesting turn when the PTA chairman admitted to knowing very little about the Telecom Amendment Bill.
PTA Unaware of Telecom Act Amendments
During the briefing, the Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) made a shocking revelation. He stated that the PTA remains completely unaware of who introduced the controversial amendment bill to the Telecommunication Act. Furthermore, he admitted to discovering the bill through social media. Consequently, he had to ask his own staff about the PTA’s role in the proposed legislation.
Meanwhile, the Chairman disclosed another alarming development regarding the recent 5G auction. The company that successfully secured the 5G spectrum has already sold its towers to other operating companies.
The “Right of Way” Clash
The meeting also witnessed a heated exchange regarding mobile service quality. Mudassar, the Head of Public Policy for Jazz, briefed the committee. He argued that poor service quality fundamentally stems from a lack of infrastructure. He emphasized that obtaining “Right of Way” is an essential component for providing quality service. Specifically, he highlighted Karachi, stating that companies cannot install necessary infrastructure in central locations.
However, Senator Sadia Abbasi heavily criticized the Jazz representative. She pointed out that mobile companies extensively advertise across multiple platforms while failing to deliver adequate service. She firmly stated that companies cannot forcibly take private property from citizens. Moreover, she declared that the committee will not allow anyone to install towers in private residential homes without explicit permission. She warned that forcing citizens cannot be justified under any circumstances.
New Plan for Uninterrupted Power
To combat these infrastructure challenges, the government has decided to intervene. Officials plan to develop a strategy that ensures an uninterrupted power supply specifically for the telecom sector. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has formed a high-level committee to tackle this issue. The Secretary of IT will head this committee. They will prepare a comprehensive energy supply plan and present their final report to the Prime Minister within three months.
