ISLAMABAD: The Minister of Information Technology and Telecommunication, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, informed the National Assembly on Thursday that prolonged and repeated power outages across the country were among the major causes of slow internet services and deterioration in telecom quality.
In written replies to the National Assembly, Shaza Fatima Khawaja said unreliable commercial electricity and dependence on solar systems, especially during shorter winter days, reduced backup resources and operational capacity at telecom sites. Difficult terrain, harsh weather, security concerns, and access restrictions delayed maintenance, while fibre cuts, backhaul disruptions and theft of equipment further affected service continuity.
The minister said Pakistan’s international connectivity had improved with the landing of three submarine cables in recent years. She said fibre-optic connectivity had expanded significantly nationwide, while fibre-based home connections had increased from 1.9 million in 2024 to 5.1 million within two years. Improvements were expected after the Quality of Service (QoS) auction, with average 4G speeds projected to rise from 4 Mbps to 20 Mbps, and initial 5G speeds reaching up to 50 Mbps, starting in provincial capitals. Under rollout obligations, operators must install 1,000 sites annually, 20 per cent at new locations, to bridge coverage gaps. Over the past five years, more than 12,000 sites were installed or upgraded, fibre-to-site ratio increased from 20pc to 35pc, 379 surveys conducted, 43 show-cause notices issued and Rs68.9 million in fines imposed on operators for service issues.
The minister said the government was implementing the National Fiberisation Policy and had abolished right-of-way charges to accelerate broadband infrastructure development. She informed the House that 5G services had entered the rollout phase and pilot services were already available in major areas of Islamabad.She added that extraordinary measures were being taken to increase the sector’s annual growth rate from 20pc to 30pc, including rapid advancement in artificial intelligence and implementation of the National AI Policy.
While replying to another question, Federal Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja told the National Assembly that Pakistan’s IT exports were growing at an average annual rate of around 20 per cent over the past several years. She informed the House that IT exports stood at approximately $2.4 billion when the present government assumed office and were expected to surpass $4.5bn during the current fiscal year. The minister said the government had set a target of achieving $15bn in IT exports and an additional $10bn through digital transformation initiatives. The minister said, “IT companies registered with the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) paid only 0.5pc tax on exports, while unregistered firms paid one per cent,” she said.
She said IT companies had been allowed 50pc dollar retention in special foreign currency accounts, while the State Bank of Pakistan had removed several regulatory hurdles related to Form-E requirements. Ms Khawaja said companies had also been permitted to invest through Roshan Digital Accounts.
She told lawmakers that more than 250 IT companies had participated in international roadshows over the past two years, while 10 special technology parks and 50 e-Rozgar centres had been established. She added dedicated technology parks for women had also been established in Azad Jammu and Kashmir to promote female participation in the digital economy.
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry told the National Assembly that the NDMA was using modern technology and advanced forecasting systems based on satellites, to issue timely alerts on heavy rains, floods, and cloudbursts. He noted that while provincial authorities may lack comparable technology, the NDMA remained closely coordinated with international organisations and continuously received real-time disaster data.
