Islamabad, November 3,2026: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication has expressed serious concerns over the persistent poor quality of internet services across Pakistan, urging telecom operators to address connectivity issues and improve service standards.
The concerns were raised during the committee’s 25th meeting, chaired by Syed Amin ul Haq, MNA, at Parliament House on Tuesday.
The committee observed that despite its continuous efforts over the past two years, internet services had not improved to the required standard. It noted that several districts continued to face unsatisfactory connectivity, while major cities, including Karachi and Islamabad, were also experiencing service disruptions.
The committee particularly highlighted frequent signal drops during WhatsApp calls and observed that internet services in some smaller cities and remote districts were almost negligible.
The Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) informed the committee that the authority had conducted surveys across different areas to identify service deficiencies and had engaged telecom operators to address the issues.
He said operators were directed to improve their quality of service within three months wherever shortcomings were identified. Show-cause notices were issued in cases where subsequent surveys showed no improvement.
The PTA chairman informed the committee that five show-cause notices had been issued to telecom operators during the preceding three months. However, recovery of the imposed amounts remained pending as the operators had approached courts and obtained stay orders.
He also identified prolonged power outages as a major factor affecting telecommunication services, particularly in rural areas where electricity remained unavailable for 12 to 16 hours daily, disrupting the functioning of telecom towers and internet connectivity.
Regarding infrastructure improvements, the PTA chairman said progress was underway following the 5G spectrum auction. Approximately 70 percent of 5G services in Karachi had been rolled out, while around 2,300 telecom towers had been upgraded to support 5G technology.
He said infrastructure development and the resolution of spectrum-related issues were progressing, expressing confidence that these measures would contribute to improved service quality in the long run.
The committee also considered the Electronic Transactions Amendment Bill, 2026. A representative of the Ministry of Law and Justice informed the committee that consultations with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) were underway and that the proposed legislation had reached an advanced stage.
The representative requested that consideration of the bill be deferred until the consultation process was completed, assuring the committee that the amendments would be presented after consensus was reached.
The committee agreed to defer consideration of the bill until its next meeting.
The Pakistan Digital Authority (PDA) briefed the committee on its mandate, strategic objectives and the National Digital Master Plan, outlining its vision for transforming Pakistan’s economy, society and governance systems.
The authority informed the committee that the plan had been developed in consultation with provincial and sectoral stakeholders and approved by the National Digital Commission, which had also issued directives for its implementation.
The National Digital Master Plan is based on three pillars: Digital Society, Digital Economy and Digital Governance.
Under the Digital Society pillar, the focus will be on empowering citizens through improved access to digital services and developing an inclusive digital environment.
The Digital Economy pillar aims to promote economic growth through digital innovation, technology adoption and transformation across various sectors, while Digital Governance will focus on institutional efficiency, transparency and improved public service delivery through digital solutions.
The committee was further informed that the authority would develop a comprehensive digital roadmap, including key performance indicators and implementation parameters, to guide federal and provincial institutions and sectoral stakeholders.
All relevant departments and institutions would be required to align their digitalization initiatives with the National Digital Master Plan to ensure coordinated implementation across the country.
The authority highlighted the economic potential of digital transformation, stating that Pakistan could generate an additional $60 billion to $80 billion in national GDP over the next five years through effective digitalization.
It reiterated its commitment to providing strategic direction and a coordinated implementation framework to strengthen the country’s digital economy, improve governance and accelerate the transition towards a digitally empowered society.
The meeting was attended by MNAs Zulfiqar Ali Bhatti, Ahmad Atteeq Anwar, Ammar Ahmad Khan Leghari, Syed Ali Qasim Gillani, Dr Mahesh Kumar Malani, Sadiq Ali Memon, Ahmad Saleem Siddiqui, Aasia Ishaque Siddiqui and Pullain Baloch, along with officials from the ministry and its attached departments.
