ISLAMABAD: The Senate Committee on Information Technology on Monday strongly criticized the heavy taxes imposed by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on e-commerce, calling for relief to support the country’s growing digital sector.
The committee, chaired by Palwasha Khan, also reviewed the current taxation regime on online businesses and discussed recent developments including a 15% quarterly tariff increase by telecom operator Jazz, as permitted under Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) rules.
During the session, PTA Chairman informed members that Jazz and Telenor posted profits in 2024, while Zong and Ufone operated at a loss. He assured the committee of PTA’s commitment to facilitating telecom operators.
The committee raised concerns about substandard telecom services nationwide, highlighting a decades-old unresolved spectrum allocation case dating back to 1995 as a major impediment to sector growth.
Palwasha urged concerned authorities to resolve the issue urgently and called for the Attorney General for Pakistan, Frequency Allocation Board, PEMRA, and FBR to attend the next meeting for further discussion.
Senator Nadeem Bhutto voiced worries over the lack of cellular coverage in interior Sindh during extended power outages, citing insufficient backup facilities by telecom companies. Other members stressed the need for uninterrupted services in remote and underserved areas.
The committee also addressed false claims on social media regarding the appointment of an Egyptian lawmaker to Pakistan’s AI policy advisory group. The Ministry of Information Technology clarified no such appointment was made and was tasked with investigating the matter.
Officials briefed the committee on the Universal Service Fund (USF), reporting 4,206 operational sites nationwide, with 22 towers in Gwadar.
Members called for expanding telecom infrastructure in underserved regions. Senator Humayun Mohmand complained about poor mobile service on Islamabad highways and residential areas, attributing the issue to security-related jammers and urging improvements.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
