Tech Desk 
Sep 20, 2025
A number of important topics that could significantly affect Pakistan's digital future were covered in a recent meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication, which was chaired by Senator Palwasha Mohammad Zai Khan.
According to the committee, Ufone and Telenor's merger is nearing completion and should be finished in two weeks.
However, considering the 18-month delay, Senator Kamran Murtaza questioned whether the merger could be completed in such a short period of time.
During a briefing on nationwide data theft, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman Major General (R) Hafeez Ur Rehman informed the committee that sensitive data can be found on the dark web.
In order to determine the origins of these leaks, he underlined the necessity of a thorough investigation.
The PTA chairman clarified that no telecom data had surfaced on the dark web in the previous two years, but he emphasised the necessity of putting in place a national data security mechanism as soon as possible.
Moreover, Senator Afnan Ullah Khan highlighted that the data is frequently taken from institutions separately, compiled, and then sold.
Concerns regarding how scammers obtain private data were raised by the committee chairperson, who related a personal experience of getting a phone call pertaining to a fraudulent bank.
Khan warned that the country would be at grave risk if personal data protection legislation was not passed.
According to the Ministry of IT, stakeholder consultations are currently in progress, and a draft bill has been prepared.
Additionally, the committee also referred the matter to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and discussed Jazz's recovery of more than Rs6 billion in tariffs from customers.
Senator Nadeem Ahmed Bhutto drew attention to the country's frequent call drops and declining mobile phone service quality.
According to the PTA chairman, the December 5G spectrum auction cannot take place until the Ufone and Telenor merger is completed. However, though some unresolved issues still need to be addressed, the authority is completely ready for the auction.
