The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) officials updated the National Assembly Committee for Information Technology (IT) on Tuesday regarding the progress of 5G services in the country.The PTA reported that a consultant has been engaged to assist with the 5G spectrum rollout, with a report expected by the end of January and the process completion targeted for April. The PTA also noted that the Sindh High Court has issued a stay order concerning the 5G launch.
In addition to 5G updates, the PTA discussed ongoing VPN regulations. Chairman of the PTA informed that nearly 25,000 individuals have registered their Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) in Pakistan, ensuring secure internet access without compromising privacy. However, the Senate Standing Committee on IT, chaired by Palwasha Khan, voiced concerns over the absence of the State Minister for IT for the third consecutive meeting and called for the Interior Secretary’s presence in the next session.
The committee also highlighted concerns about social media restrictions, specifically the platform X (formerly Twitter), which Senator Muhammad Humayun argued could endanger Pakistan’s IT sector and impact the livelihoods of approximately 2.5 million individuals. The senator stressed that prolonged restrictions on these platforms could negatively affect both the economy and IT industry.