Senate Committee Reviews 5G Rollout, Telecom Service Quality, and Tower Installation Issues

The Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat held a meeting under the chairmanship of Senator Rana Mehmood-ul-Hassan to review key issues related to Pakistan’s telecommunications sector, including 5G rollout. Officials from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and representatives from telecom companies attended the session and briefed the committee on the challenges facing the industry.

During the meeting, the PTA Chairman made a significant disclosure regarding the country’s 5G rollout. He informed the committee that a company that had won a 5G auction later sold its telecom towers to other companies. However, no further details about the transaction were shared during the briefing.

Senate Committee Reviews 5G Rollout, Telecom Service Quality, and Tower Installation Issues

The PTA chairman also addressed the controversial amendments proposed to the Pakistan Telecommunication Act. He told the committee that he first learned about the amendment bill through social media. According to him, he immediately asked his staff about the PTA’s role in the proposed legislation. He added that the authority was not aware of who had introduced the bill, raising questions about the drafting process.

Representatives from Jazz also briefed the committee on the challenges affecting telecom services in the country. Head of Public Policy at Jazz, Mudassir, said that a lack of telecom infrastructure mainly causes poor service quality. He explained that improving network coverage and service quality requires the installation of additional infrastructure, including mobile towers.

The Jazz representative emphasized that the “Right of Way” framework is essential for expanding telecom infrastructure. He noted that operators face difficulties installing towers in several urban areas, particularly in Karachi, where restrictions prevent infrastructure from being placed in key locations. According to him, these limitations affect network performance and reduce the quality of services provided to customers.

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During the discussion, Senator Saadia Abbasi raised concerns over the installation of mobile towers in residential areas. She criticized telecom companies for heavily promoting their services while failing to address public concerns about infrastructure placement.

Senator Saadia Abbasi stated that authorities should not allow any company to install telecom towers on private residential properties without the owner’s consent. She stressed that authorities must protect private property rights and should not justify forcing citizens to give up their property for commercial purposes.

The committee discussed the need to improve telecom services while balancing infrastructure development with the rights of citizens. Members emphasized the importance of transparent policymaking, better coordination among stakeholders, and practical solutions to strengthen Pakistan’s telecommunications sector without compromising public interests.