ISLAMABAD   -  The National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication Wednesday passed “The Establishment of Telecommunication Appellate Tribunal Bill, 2024”, a government bill that will pave the way for establishment of a tribunal to expedite the cases of telecom sector presently pending in the High Court.

The third meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology & Telecommunication was held under the chairmanship of MNA Syed Aminul Haq at the Parliament House, Islamabad.

The committee discussed ‘The Establishment of Telecommunication Appellate Tribunal Bill, 2024’ (Government Bill) in detail. A representative from the Ministry of Law and Justice briefly apprised the Committee that under Rule of Business, the constitution of all the tribunals are purely the subject of the Ministry of Law and Justice. While briefing about the procedure for appointment of Chairpersons for the said tribunal, he told the Committee that the Ministry of Law and Justice publish advertisements in the newspaper and thereafter the Search Committee headed by a Grade-20 Officer in the Ministry of Law & Justice scrutinize the candidature as per prescribed criteria. The Search Committee short lists the candidates and forwards it to the Federal Council headed by the Law Minister. The committee with two federal secretaries also as its members, interviews the shortlisted candidates and forwards its recommendations to the federal cabinet, which then appoints a Chairperson and members of the tribunal. The Committee agreed with the representative of the Ministry of Law and Justice and thereafter unanimously passed “The Establishment of Telecommunication Appellate Tribunal Bill, 2024” without any amendment.

The Committee expressed concern that the E-Office has been launched for the last four years, and still not been properly implemented within the ministries, even though the Prime Minister also conducted a meeting on it to clarify the methodology and removal of barriers towards a paperless environment. The Federal Minister said that the ministry has initiated steps for its implementation and this system should start from the top level which is Federal Secretaries and Ministers and then it will automatically be implemented step by step downwards to digitize the entire system. Further she said, it is very important to align all the ministries to play their role to implement E-office within all Ministries and offices to promote a paperless environment and improve efficiency. The Committee also recommended that the Ministry may devise a policy to ensure the secrecy of official correspondence and documents.

The Committee also expressed concern that four districts of Balochistan have been deprived from the facility of mobile data for the last three years. The Committee decided to call Chairman PTA in its next meeting to brief the Committee about the issue with the comment that the provision of internet facility is a fundamental right of every citizen.

 Mukhtar Ahmad Malik, Ahmad Atteeq Anwar, Ammar Ahmad Khan Leghari, Dr. Mahesh Kumar Malani, Syed Mustafa Kamal, Pullain, Sher Ali Arbab and Umair Khan Niazi and the officials of the Ministry attended the meeting.