The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunications, chaired by Senator Palwasha Khan, held a tense session to review the future of Pakistan’s telecom sector. Lawmakers raised concerns over the long-delayed 5G spectrum auction, unresolved legal disputes, PTCL’s $800 million outstanding payment to the government, and the potential exit of Telenor from the market.
Officials from the Ministry of IT revealed that Pakistan currently has 600 MHz spectrum available, on par with Bangladesh but far behind Saudi Arabia’s 1,200 MHz. They cautioned that while the world is preparing for 6G, Pakistan risks falling decades behind without urgent action.
Senator Humayun Mohmand urged the ministry to press courts for swift resolution of spectrum-related disputes that continue to stall progress. PTA officials said a consultant had been engaged six months earlier, but the advisor recommended resolving the Sun TV spectrum dispute before moving forward with the auction.
To ensure transparency, Senator Anusha Rahman recommended including NAB and AGPR in the Auction Advisory Committee, warning that exclusion could invite audit objections and corruption allegations. PTA confirmed that NAB’s inclusion had already been proposed.
The committee also discussed the pending Telenor-Ufone merger, with members warning that Telenor’s potential exit could create major quality-of-service challenges. Senator Rahman criticized PTA’s regulatory policies for driving the operator toward withdrawal and urged the government to intervene directly to retain Telenor.
Sharp criticism was also directed at PTCL for failing to clear $800 million in dues to the government and for resisting audits by the Auditor General of Pakistan despite Supreme Court orders. Audit officials reiterated that PTCL, with majority government ownership, is legally bound to comply, but IT ministry representatives claimed the company’s management shows little intent to resolve the issue.
