The National Assembly Standing Committee on IT & Telecommunication under Syed Amin-ul-Haque praised Pakistan’s cyber security teams for their role in protecting the nation’s digital frontiers, noting the teams’ efforts during the May 2025 conflict as a key factor in raising Pakistan’s international standing. The chairman also confirmed that the homegrown communications app Beep Pakistan will see a formal launch in the near future, underlining a push for local digital solutions.
In the same session the committee approved funding for the Special Communications Organization to solarize base transceiver station towers across Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu & Kashmir, framing the move as part of a broader sustainable infrastructure agenda for remote regions.
On regulatory matters Amin-ul-Haque directed the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority to ensure absolute transparency in the upcoming 5G auction scheduled for March 10th, stressing that the 5G auction must result in affordable packages so benefits reach ordinary consumers. He also urged that the proposed merger between Ufone and Telenor be completed before the 5G auction to preserve competition and prevent market dominance.
The chairman expressed strong displeasure with delays on the Islamabad IT Park project and issued a final deadline of June 2026 for its completion. The Additional Secretary (IT) was tasked with overseeing tendering and ensuring a credible contractor is appointed for the Karachi IT Park, signalling closer parliamentary oversight of both projects.
During briefings, the Secretary IT & Telecom and the PTA chair clarified the role of the authority’s Web Management System, in operation since 2006 and updated four times, as a tool to manage digital borders and gray traffic without affecting network speeds. The committee was informed that the platform known as X remains restricted under government and judicial orders enforced through this system.
DG NCERT Haider Abbas told the committee that more than 500 major cyber-attacks were foiled last year, with another 100 neutralized since January 1st, framing cyber conflict as a continuous, ongoing struggle rather than a conventional campaign. The remarks reinforced the committee’s view that cyber teams are frontline defenders of national security.
The PTA chair also outlined the technical roadmap for the 5G auction, noting six bands including four new ones and the deposit of $15 million pre-bid security by three major operators. Officials said the auction of 597 MHz of spectrum is expected to lift 4G speeds to roughly 20 Mbps in the first phase, while 5G rollout will begin in federal and provincial capitals, linking spectrum policy directly to service improvements across Pakistan.
