PTA Briefs NA Committee on 5G Progress and VPN Regulations
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on Tuesday updated the National Assembly’s IT committee about the progress on 5G services in the country, as reported by ARY News.
During the briefing, PTA officials revealed that a consultant has been engaged to expedite the 5G spectrum process. The consultant’s report is expected by January’s end, with the process set to conclude by April. PTA also shared that a draft policy for freelancing has already been prepared.
The officials informed the committee that the Sindh High Court has issued a stay order on 5G implementation in the country.
Read More: PTA Launches New VPN Registration Portal
Separately, PTA Chairman noted in a Senate Standing Committee meeting on November 18 that nearly 25,000 individuals have registered their Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) across Pakistan. This meeting, chaired by Senator Palwasha Khan, centered on VPN regulations.
Highlighting progress, the PTA chairman stated, “We’ve worked on VPN regulations for two years to ensure uninterrupted internet access while maintaining privacy for registered users.”
Senator Muhammad Humayun, however, criticized certain IT policies, particularly the blocking of platforms like X (formerly Twitter), warning that such actions are damaging Pakistan’s IT sector and affecting the livelihoods of over 2.5 million people.
The committee expressed dissatisfaction with the absence of the Minister of State for IT for three consecutive sessions and summoned the Interior Secretary to the next meeting.
