Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunications, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, has ruled out the possibility of providing free Wi-Fi across Islamabad.
She announced that free Wi-Fi hotspots will be made available at selected public locations, including metro stations, within this year.
The announcement came during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on IT, chaired by Senator Palwasha Khan.
The committee had recommended offering free Wi-Fi on metro buses, which the minister did not commit to directly.
Shaza Fatima told the committee that offering citywide free public Wi-Fi is not feasible as it conflicts with the commercial interests of telecom operators.
Shaza Fatima said the government is working on fiberization for key locations such as Parliament House, Parliament Lodges, schools, universities, and hospitals.
The meeting witnessed a heated discussion over the re-shortlisting of the current director, Syed Jawad, for the vacant position of DG International Coordination. Committee members raised concerns over the selection process, prompting Chairperson Palwasha Khan to question the transparency of the criteria.
Shaza Fatima defended the ministry, stating that no personal interests are involved.
The committee also discussed Pakistan’s first ChatGPT-like AI tool, "Zehanath AI."
The minister clarified that it is a private sector initiative and the government merely supported it through a joint press conference.
The agenda item on cryptocurrency regulation was deferred to the next meeting due to the absence of Prime Minister’s Special Assistant Bilal Bin Saqib.
The committee has summoned officials from the Ministry of Finance and SECP for the upcoming session.
