The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecom, on Tuesday, warned of moving a privilege motion against IT ministry officials after they repeatedly declined to disclose the names of board members of state-owned enterprises PTCL and Ufone.
Committee chairperson Senator Palwasha Khan issued the warning as the Special Secretary IT dodged questions for over half an hour, refusing to share details of board members, their perks, and selection criteria.
She added that despite the committee’s formal request on August 25, there has not been any reply from the IT ministry.
“We are not asking for any detailed write-up, you can simply tell the names,” Senator Khan said.
While, Senator Dr. Mohammad Humayun Mohmand, told the officials of the IT ministry that concealing information from the Committee was a contempt.
Members directed the ministry to provide complete information in the next meeting.
Lawmakers also pressed for reasons behind PTCL’s continued refusal to undergo audit by the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP). The Special Secretary IT contended that PTCL had “private sector management” but admitted the ministry had no objection if the AGP were to conduct the audit.
Senator Nadeem Ahmed Bhutto said that even the Supreme Court and the Public Accounts Committee of the parliament has directed the PTCL to hold audit by the AGP, therefore the PTCL has no point in refusing the AGP audit.
The officials of the AGP stated that the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) too has started to hold its audit by the AGP but PTCL continue to refuse it.
On the upcoming 5G spectrum auction, officials from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) informed that the prime minister had set December 2025 as the deadline to conclude the process. Consultants identified two major hurdles: 140 MHz spectrum in the 2600 MHz band blocked in litigation with Southern Network Ltd (SNL), and uncertainties linked to the proposed PTCL–Telenor merger. Senators expressed concerns that PTA and the ministry had previously withheld factual updates.
The committee was informed that the delays in the decision related to merger of Telenor-Pakistan with PTCL was also one hindrance towards finalisation of nw specrum auction.
Senator Dr. Afnan Ullah, Saifullah Nyazee, added that the PTCL was failing to pay its pending dues amounting to $800 mn.
The committee also reviewed cybercrime challenges in a briefing by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), which warned that scams worth billions of rupees were undermining digital trust and financial inclusion.
Meanwhile, a heated exchange erupted between PTA and AGP representatives over audit observations accusing Jazz of overcharging customers by Rs 6.58 billion, raising tariffs by up to 15 percent quarterly. The committee directed both offices to submit complete records for further scrutiny.
