Senate Committee Demands Better Internet & 911 Helpline for Underserved Areas

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Committee on Problems of Less Developed Areas has called for urgent measures to address poor internet coverage and to operationalize an offline 911 emergency helpline, particularly in underserved regions of Balochistan, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

In a recent meeting chaired by Senator Agha Shahzaib Durrani, the Senate Committee on Problems of Less Developed Areas reviewed the telecom services provided through the Universal Service Fund (USF). Senators Jan Muhammad, Falak Naz, Danesh Kumar, Aimal Wali Khan, Hamid Khan, and Fawzia Arshad were in attendance. The committee opened with condemnation of a terrorist attack on a school bus in Balochistan and urged a swift government response.

The CEO of USF briefed the committee on its operations, projects, and challenges, such as security threats, land disputes, and bureaucratic hurdles. The fund supports mobile and broadband connectivity, fibre deployment, and highway coverage. The Ministry of IT reported that while 90% of the population has internet access, the remaining 10%—mostly in remote areas—still lack service.

Senator Aimal Wali Khan highlighted poor connectivity in several KP districts, prompting the committee to request detailed reports on 24 ongoing service improvement projects. Concerns over disrupted internet in parts of Balochistan and other provinces were addressed, with the Ministry of IT attributing outages to Interior Ministry directives for security reasons.

The committee also called for transparency in cellular call rate mechanisms, taxation details, and CSR initiatives of telecom companies. Additionally, the Ministry of IT was instructed to activate an offline 911 helpline and launch a nationwide awareness campaign for emergency access.

PTA Chairman’s Controversial Remarks

The session was overshadowed by controversy following remarks made by Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman Major General (R) Hafeezur Rehman. During the proceedings, the chairman allegedly made an offensive comment, accusing Senator Aimal Wali Khan of using charas (hashish), prompting a sharp backlash.

Senator Aimal rejected the apology and called for disciplinary action, terming the remark an insult to the entire committee. Chairman Senator Durrani condemned the comment and vowed to raise the issue with the Prime Minister. The PTA Chairman later issued a public clarification, expressing regret and reaffirming respect for Senate decorum.