Senate session chaired by Chairman Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani Wednesday in which Minister of State for IT Shaza Fatima Khawaja addressed the ongoing issues in Pakistan's telecom sector, including a fault in a submarine cable and challenges with internet speed.

“There is still a fault in one of the submarine cables, which will be fixed by the end of October,” said Khawaja.

She assured the Senate that efforts are underway to resolve the issue and restore full connectivity.

Khawaja also addressed the slow internet speeds across Pakistan, attributing the problem to multiple factors, including the economic situation and delays in the import of telecom equipment.

"LCs were closed, leading to project delays, particularly in the installation of new mobile sites," she added.

Despite these challenges, 11 new mobile sites have been installed in Abbottabad this year, bringing the total to 432.

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is conducting regular quality of service surveys to address public concerns about internet performance. However, Khawaja acknowledged that the speed of internet services in Pakistan remains below international standards due to limited investment in the telecom sector.

Highlighting efforts to modernize, Khawaja mentioned the launch of VPN registration by the PTA and reiterated the government's commitment to keeping Pakistan's web management systems in line with global standards. She noted that "X" (formerly known as Twitter) was temporarily closed on the directive of the Ministry of Home Affairs due to national security and terrorism concerns.

Khawaja emphasized the importance of the IT sector in providing employment to the youth, noting that its foundation lies in reliable internet access. "Efforts are being made to provide high-speed internet to every home," she stated.

The minister further emphasized the role of the Universal Service Fund (USF) in focusing on completing telecom projects that were delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.