Islamabad:
The Senate Committee on Information Technologies and Telecommunications was informed Thursday that Pakistan is faced with external pressures so as not to promulgate laws of citizens.
At a meeting of the Committee, chaired by Senator Palwasha Khan in Parliament, officials of the IT ministry said that the data protection bill was underway, with current consultations with the stakeholders.
Senator Afnanullah of the PML-N revealed that the government was forced from abroad so as not to legislate on data protection. “If no law is made, the country will continue to undergo massive losses. Theft of data is already a black market of billions of rupees,” he said.
The president of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), the President General (REPD), Hafeezur Rehman, also informed the Committee, confirming that the data of Pakistani citizens frequently appear on the Dark Web.
“About 300,000 data from the HAJJ candidates have been disclosed. This requires a high-level investigation,” he said. He added that an investigation had been launched in 2022 and was now taken up by the Interior Ministry.
Senators also expressed their concern about the members of the board of directors of telecommunications companies managed by the State who would have received major advantages. Senator Kamran Murtaza said these members get $ 5,000 per meeting and trips abroad. “Maybe we should also be added to such advice,” he joked. The Committee also criticized the IT department for having failed to present the Data Protection Bill despite repeated insurance.
The president demanded the transparency of members of the members of the councils of Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) and UFONE, stressing the need for public responsibility.
At a meeting of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly on Thursday, the Ministry of Information Technologies said that Internet speed in Pakistan has slowed down due to the Yemen’s submarine cable cutting.
According to the ministry, telecommunications companies had moved the bandwidth to alternative routes, but the catering could take four to five weeks.
During the meeting chaired by MNA Syed Aminul Haque, the IT and telecommunications secretary Zarrar Hashim Khan said not one or two, but four to five submarine cables had been cut near Yemen.
“Two of the cables providing Pakistan have been affected, forcing companies to divert the bandwidth towards alternative routes. The repair of these cables requires special ships, and full catering could take a month.”
The committee was informed that three new underwater cables would become operational within 12 to 18 months, connecting Pakistan directly with Europe. The agreements for these cables have already been signed.
Sadiq Memon, member of the committee, asked why the problems persist if three new cables are already planned. The secretary reiterated that several Yemen cable cuts had created a serious situation and that Pakistan’s connectivity has been directly impacted.
