Senate’s IT and Telecommunication Committee will examine major telecom, cybersecurity, connectivity and consumer protection issues, including Ufone’s reported rebranding and Starlink’s launch.
The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication will take up a wide-ranging agenda on Monday, with Ufone’s reported rebranding following its merger with Telenor, Starlink’s launch, Jazz overcharging claims and telecom security issues among the key matters under discussion.
The committee will receive a briefing from the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication (MoITT) on the reported change of Ufone’s name to “e&” following the Ufone-Telenor merger.
Members will also seek an updated briefing on the launch of Starlink operations in Pakistan, particularly in the context of satellite-based internet services for underserved and remote areas.
National security concerns linked to satellite connectivity will also be discussed. The IT secretary is expected to brief the committee on the reported shift of Pak Datacom to a foreign satellite and the concerns associated with the move.
Another major issue on the agenda is the reported $800 million outstanding amount owed by Etisalat in connection with the privatisation of Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL). The committee will also seek the minutes of PTCL Board meetings held during the past six months.
The committee will separately review the status of court cases and stay orders involving LDI/FLL companies and seek a way forward from the secretary of the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication.
Consumer protection will also come under scrutiny. The chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and the Auditor General of Pakistan will brief the committee on a purported audit report alleging that Jazz charged mobile users Rs6.58 billion in excess. The committee will also examine the reported provision allowing the operator to increase tariffs by up to 15% quarterly.
Members will seek details of action taken by the PTA to protect mobile consumers if the audit findings are substantiated.
A cybersecurity matter involving the alleged obtaining and transfer of sensitive personal data of Pakistani government officers to foreign entities will also be examined. The director general of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) will brief the committee on the alleged transfer, the scale of the threat and measures being taken to prevent future data breaches.
The committee will also consider a point of public importance raised by Senator Atta-ur-Rehman regarding the closure of mobile services in Lakki Marwat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, during a Senate sitting on Nov. 13, 2025.
Universal Service Fund (USF) projects in Qila Abdullah, Balochistan, will also be reviewed, including approved allocations, project status, expected completion dates and the villages and public-sector institutions expected to benefit.
The telecom competition regime will also come under scrutiny, with members seeking a briefing on whether the Telecom Competition Rules have been notified under Section 57 of the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organization) Act, 1996.
The committee will further consider its subcommittee’s report on internet connectivity problems and the reported disappearance of diesel intended for telecom towers across the country.
Connectivity issues affecting 40 Pakistan Railways trains, including the lack of signals and Wi-Fi facilities, are also on the agenda.
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