Islamabad: In a bid to expedite pending telecom cases, the Standing Committee on Information Technology & Telecommunications convened its 2nd meeting under the chairmanship of Syed Amin ul Haq, MNA. The committee meticulously examined “The Establishment of Telecommunications Appellate Tribunal Bill, 2024,” aiming to establish a tribunal to resolve lingering telecom disputes.
Currently, 71 cases are pending in the High Court, causing undue delays. The proposed tribunal will transfer these cases and ensure decisions within 90 days. The committee inquired about the appointment procedure for the tribunal’s chairperson and recommended consulting the Ministry of Law & Justice for proposals or amendments.
The committee also discussed the upcoming 5G spectrum auction, likely in March 2025, and emphasized ensuring quality services in major cities. Recommendations included incentivizing service providers and utilizing incentive amounts for infrastructure development.
The Director of Universal Service Fund (USF) briefed the committee on their initiatives, including providing services in underserved areas. However, the committee expressed concern over the Federal Government’s outstanding debt of 45 billion rupees, borrowed from the USF in 2015, and recommended regular requests for reimbursement.
The meeting was attended by several MNAs and ministry officials, all striving for efficient telecom dispute resolution and improved services.
