Pakistan IT ministry prepares data protection law amid dark web data leak

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Information Technology (IT) informed the Senate Committee that a draft bill for personal data protection legislation has been prepared, amid growing concerns about data security.

During a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication, the Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) informed members that no telecom data had appeared on the dark web in the past two years. However, he emphasized the urgent need for a national-level framework to ensure data security.

Chaired by Senator Palwasha Mohammad Zai Khan, the meeting discussed issues related to data theft, telecom services, and the upcoming 5G spectrum auction.

The PTA Chairman acknowledged that, while telecom data had not been exposed recently, other sensitive information was still being found on the dark web. He urged a thorough investigation to identify the sources of these leaks, noting that PTA conducted an internal inquiry in 2022 and that the Ministry of the Interior had since launched a formal probe.

Senator Afnan Ullah Khan noted that data was often stolen separately from institutions, compiled, and then sold.

The committee chairperson shared a personal account of receiving a fraudulent bank-related call and expressed concern over fraudsters’ access to sensitive data.

The committee expressed alarm over the delay in introducing personal data protection legislation. The Ministry of IT informed that a draft bill had been prepared and stakeholder consultations were underway. However, Senator Afnan Ullah warned that further delays could expose the country to serious security risks.

The committee also discussed the recovery of over Rs6 billion in tariffs from consumers by a telecom company. At the request of audit authorities, the matter was referred to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). Officials confirmed that PTA had already submitted documents for verification.

Senator Nadeem Ahmed Bhutto raised concerns over the deteriorating quality of mobile services, citing frequent call drops and the scarcity of even 2G coverage along the Karachi-Sukkur Motorway. He urged immediate action to address these issues.

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The committee also reviewed the long-delayed merger between Ufone and Telenor. Officials from the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) indicated that the deal was in its final stages and expected to be completed within two weeks. However, Senator Kamran Murtaza questioned whether the merger could realistically be completed in such a short time given the delays so far.

Officials from the Ministry of IT assured the committee that the 5G auction would be held in December. The PTA Chairman added that the Authority was fully prepared, though some outstanding issues still needed resolution.