Telecom Firms Only Making Money, Karachi’s Network & IT Park Issues Persist, Claims IT Committee Member

In a heated meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on IT and Telecommunication, lawmakers slammed poor telecom services, questioned merger delays, and expressed frustration over stalled tech infrastructure in Karachi.

Committee Member Mahesh Kumar stunned the room by revealing that in Karachi, WhatsApp calls drop after just one minute. “If this is Karachi, then imagine what’s happening in South Punjab and interior Sindh,” he said.

The Committee Chairman took aim at telecom companies, branding them as “money-making machines” that are failing to deliver quality services.

PTA Chairman admitted that the real issue lies in the lack of fiber infrastructure. “You can’t run 4G without fiber,” he said, adding that a national fiberization policy is under development. He also announced that three new submarine cables will be operational by year-end, promising some relief for overloaded internet networks.

Meanwhile, the merger between Telenor and Ufone came under fire. Mahesh Kumar alleged that Telenor is deliberately creating internet problems, while PTA confirmed the merger case has been stuck with the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) for over 18 months.

On infrastructure, Federal Minister Shaza Fatima shared that the Islamabad IT Park is 85% complete, and PM Shehbaz Sharif will inaugurate it next month. However, the Karachi IT Park project was delayed due to tensions following the Pakistan-India conflict. Work is now expected to begin by November or December, with the Prime Minister scheduled to lead its groundbreaking ceremony.

The committee decided to visit the Islamabad IT Park and demanded faster coordination between ministries and telecom operators to resolve ongoing issues.

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