NA body postpones Digital Nation Pakistan Bill

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on IT and Telecommunications, chaired by Federal Minister Aminul Haq on Thursday again postponed the Digital Nation Pakistan Bill.

During the meeting, committee members raised concerns over Pakistan’s inadequate internet infrastructure.

Chairman PTA revealed that three out of seven submarine cables had been damaged earlier this year, significantly disrupting services. These cables were restored in October, yet internet performance remains below global standards.

He emphasized the urgent need for laying fiber-optic cables and developing digital highways to address these issues.

The PTA chairman further disclosed that Pakistan has not added a single submarine cable in the past decade, which has hindered the country’s digital growth.

While the Ookla report indicates improvements in internet services since October, platforms like WhatsApp continue to report technical issues, highlighting unresolved problems in the network.

In response to concerns about internet shutdowns, the chairman clarified that under the PECA Act, the PTA acts on government directives to block or restore social media platforms. However, he stressed that the PTA does not have the technical ability to throttle internet speeds and can only execute complete shutdowns when ordered.

Minister of State Shaza Fatima defended the government’s efforts, stating that misinformation is being spread about their intentions. However, committee member Mustafa Kamal countered her remarks, pointing out that the situation on the ground paints a different picture.

The government has set an ambitious IT export target of $15 billion, but committee members emphasized the need for systemic reforms to achieve this goal.

The meeting concluded with a call for collaboration among all stakeholders to expedite progress on the Digital Nation Pakistan Bill and resolve the country’s ongoing internet infrastructure challenges.