For the current fiscal year 2023–2024, the committee approved all budgetary proposals totaling Rs 24,250.375 million for 35 ongoing and 12 new projects.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) was instructed to ensure adequate coverage and services throughout the nation after the Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunications of the National Assembly expressed concerns about the poor signal and coverage of Mobile Network Services.
Under the direction of MNA Mir Khan Muhammad Jamali, the Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunications met on Monday.
The PTA briefed the committee on the findings of independent surveys conducted across the country, which revealed that five districts had Mobile Network Services quality that fell short of expectations. Despite this, the PTA fined telecom operators Rs. 29 million with the instruction to improve their services.
The PTA further stated that 80 surveys were carried out annually, which is nearly twice as many as independent surveys, to ensure that telecom operators provide high-quality services.
The committee instructed the PTA to ensure that the installation of fibre optics in Balochistan, which had been delayed for two years, is completed as soon as possible so that the Baloch people can access high-quality internet services.
The committee also instructed the PTA to ensure the availability of telecom services in District Tharparkar, as all codal requirements had been satisfied with the help of Universal Services and Funds (USF).
The budgetary proposals for the ministry’s and its attached departments’ public sector development programme (PSDP) for the current fiscal year 2023–24 were also thoroughly discussed by the committee.
For the current fiscal year 2023–2024, the committee approved all budgetary proposals totaling Rs 24,250.375 million for 35 ongoing and 12 new projects. The subcommittee was also reappointed by the committee with the same mandate and membership.
Along with the ministry representatives, the following MNAs were present at the meeting: Romina Khurshid Alam, Maiza Hameed, Naz Baloch, Syed Mehmood Shah, Salahuddin, Javairia Zafar Aheer, Mahesh Kumar Malani, Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali, and Aliya Kamran.