Islamabad: Pakistan Internet services came under scrutiny on Tuesday as the National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication expressed serious concern over poor connectivity and frequent service disruptions across the country.

Committee Chairman Syed Aminul Haque said internet users continued to face slow browsing speeds and repeated call failures, adding that the problem affected not only remote areas but also major cities, including Karachi.

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman Hafeezur Rehman told the committee that the country’s available telecom spectrum had increased from 274MHz to 754MHz following the recent 5G spectrum auction.

He said telecom operators had launched 5G services in 22 cities using existing mobile towers and network infrastructure. He added that operators would gradually install new infrastructure over the next six to eight months to improve internet quality and speeds.

The committee identified prolonged electricity outages as one of the main reasons behind poor mobile and broadband services. Lawmakers said extended power cuts disrupted telecom towers, causing weak signals and unreliable internet access.

Members noted that some areas experienced up to 10 hours of daily loadshedding, severely affecting telecom services.

The PTA chairman said the authority had raised the issue with Nepra and power distribution companies. He added that the prime minister had formed a high-level committee to develop a long-term solution for ensuring uninterrupted electricity supply to telecom towers.

The committee also recommended using renewable energy, including wind and solar power, to operate telecom infrastructure and improve network reliability.

During the meeting, lawmakers sought details about taxes on imported mobile phones. The PTA chairman said around 92% of smartphones currently used in Pakistan were manufactured or assembled locally, while only 8% were imported, mainly Apple iPhones and Google Pixel devices.

The committee directed the Ministry of Information Technology to encourage Apple and other global smartphone brands to establish manufacturing or assembly facilities in Pakistan.

The PTA chairman clarified that the Federal Board of Revenue collects taxes on imported mobile phones, while the PTA only registers and whitelists devices through its Device Identification, Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS) after tax payments.

The committee also postponed consideration of the Electronic Transactions (Amendment) Bill, 2026, after lawmakers raised objections to proposed amendments that would transfer certain administrative powers from the federal government to the prime minister.

Minister of State for IT Shaza Fatima Khawaja acknowledged that political parties had not yet reached consensus on the bill and assured lawmakers that the government would not move forward until stakeholders agreed on the proposed changes.