NA panel questions slow progress in 5G spectrum auction

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication (IT&T) has raised concerns about the slow progress in 5G spectrum auction and directed the ministry concerned to accelerate the process for hiring a consultant without delay. The committee met here with Syed Amin ul Haq in the chair.

The committee raised serious concerns about the slow progress on 5G spectrum auction and directed the ministry to accelerate the process for hiring a consultant without delay.

Recognising the critical need for comprehensive reforms in the telecom sector, the committee emphasized the importance of engaging all stakeholders in the processes of auction design, spectrum valuation and development of suitable 5G models. It is crucial that the auction is completed on schedule to facilitate the launch of 5G services by 2025.

The committee expressed concern over the ongoing property dispute between the PTCL and ETISALAT, stating that despite 18 years have passed, the issue remains unresolved.

The ministry informed the committee that the prime minister had formed a committee led by the finance minister to address the issue and that progress was being made towards a resolution.

The committee awaits a report detailing any final decisions.

Furthermore, the ministry has been tasked with providing a comprehensive overview in the next meeting of all PTCL properties that have been leased or rented out.

The committee directed the PTCL to make its complaint management system effective and responsive, ensuring that the duration for addressing the complaints does not exceed 6 to 12 hours, in order to prevent customer dissatisfaction and to enhance the company’s competitiveness in the market. The committee expressed concern over the slow progress on Islamabad IT Park project. It was supposed to be completed by February 2025 but only 44% of the work had been completed so far. The project is fully funded by the Korean government, with both the contractor and consultant being Korean. The committee was told that the feasibility report had been sent to the head-office in Korea for approval, which took time, causing the delay. The ministry has involved the Korean ambassador and obtained his approval to ensure that the project does not face further delays and is completed on time. The committee directed that a third-party audit of the project be conducted, and the evaluation report be presented to the committee.