No Free Wi-Fi for Islamabad, Confirms IT Minister—Only Hotspots at Select Locations Planned
Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunications, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, has ruled out the possibility of providing free Wi-Fi across Islamabad. She clarified that free Wi-Fi hotspots will only be available at select public locations, such as metro stations, later this year.
This announcement came during a Senate Standing Committee on IT meeting chaired by Senator Palwasha Khan. While the committee recommended offering free Wi-Fi on metro buses, the minister did not commit to this proposal. She emphasized that citywide public Wi-Fi is not feasible, as it conflicts with the commercial interests of telecom operators.
The minister also shared updates on ongoing fiberization efforts for strategic locations like Parliament House, Parliament Lodges, schools, universities, and hospitals.
The session also witnessed a heated debate regarding the re-shortlisting of Syed Jawad for the post of DG International Coordination, raising transparency concerns. Chairperson Palwasha Khan questioned the fairness of the selection process, but the minister assured that no personal interests were involved.
Additionally, the committee discussed Zehanath AI, Pakistan’s first ChatGPT-like tool. Shaza clarified that the project is a private sector initiative, and the government’s role was limited to press conference support.
Lastly, the agenda item on cryptocurrency regulation was postponed due to the absence of PM’s Special Assistant Bilal Bin Saqib. Officials from the Ministry of Finance and SECP have been summoned for the next meeting.
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