National Assembly Committee postpones Digital Nation Pakistan bill 

Islamabad – The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on IT and Telecommunications, chaired by Federal Minister Aminul Haq, postponed the Digital Nation Pakistan Bill once again on Thursday, citing concerns over the country’s inadequate internet infrastructure.

During the meeting, committee members discussed the challenges faced by Pakistan’s digital ecosystem. The Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) revealed that three out of the country’s seven submarine cables had been damaged earlier this year, causing significant disruptions to internet services. Although the cables were restored in October, the quality of internet services remains below international standards.

The PTA Chairman emphasised the critical need for fibre-optic cables and the establishment of digital highways to improve connectivity. He also noted that Pakistan has not added any new submarine cables in the past decade, which has hampered the country’s digital growth.

While recent reports, including one from Ookla, show improvements in internet services since October, persistent technical issues on platforms like WhatsApp highlight ongoing problems in the network that still need to be addressed.

The delay in the Digital Nation The Pakistan Bill comes as a setback to the government’s efforts to modernise the country’s digital infrastructure.

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