NA Panel Flags Poor Internet Services; PTA Says Five Operators Issued Show-cause Notices
Published November 03, 2026 | 05:11 PM
The National Assembly committee cited connectivity problems, including frequent WhatsApp call signal drops, while the PTA attributed some disruptions to power outages and outlined ongoing 5G network upgrades.
ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 3rd Nov, 2026) National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology on Tuesday expressed serious concern over the poor quality of internet services across the country.
It observed that despite its efforts over the past two years, service quality had not improved to the required standard. The committee, chaired by MNA Syed Amin ul Haq, noted that internet services remained unsatisfactory in several districts. Major cities, including Karachi and Islamabad, were also facing connectivity and service quality issues.
The committee particularly highlighted frequent signal drops during WhatsApp calls. It observed that internet services in smaller cities and remote districts were almost non-existent in some areas.
In response, the chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) told the committee that the authority had identified the problems through surveys conducted in different areas. It had also engaged telecom operators to address the shortcomings.
He said telecom operators were directed to improve their Quality of Service (QoS) within three months wherever deficiencies were identified. If subsequent surveys showed no improvement, the authority issued show-cause notices to the concerned operators.
The PTA chairman, Major General (R) Hafeez ur Rehman informed the committee that five show-cause notices had been issued to telecom operators over the past three months. However, the recovery of fines remained pending as the operators had approached courts and obtained stay orders. This had delayed the recovery process.
The PTA chairman also identified prolonged power outages as a major factor affecting the quality of telecommunication services. He said load-shedding in rural areas, where electricity remained unavailable for 12 to 16 hours a day, affected the functioning of telecom towers. This, in turn, disrupted internet connectivity for the public.
On improvements to telecommunication infrastructure, the PTA chairman said work on upgrading existing networks had progressed following the 5G spectrum auction. He informed the committee that around 70 per cent of 5G services in Karachi had been rolled out. About 2,300 telecom towers had also been upgraded to support 5G technology. He added that infrastructure development and the resolution of spectrum-related issues were being carried out in phases.
He expressed confidence that these measures would improve the overall quality of telecom services in the country in the long run.
The committee also considered the Electronic Transactions Amendment Bill, 2026.
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