The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication has taken serious notice of the rising incidents of cyber fraud allegedly linked to call centres operating across Pakistan.
An important meeting of the committee, chaired by Senator Palwasha Khan, has been scheduled for July 31 in Islamabad. The committee has summoned a detailed briefing from key institutions, including the National Cybercrimes Investigation Agency (NICA), the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), and the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB).
The agenda includes a comprehensive review of the registration processes, regulatory oversight, and revenue data of call centres and software houses operating nationwide. The committee has also sought clarity on existing monitoring mechanisms and the number of registered entities in the sector.
In light of the growing concern over online scams, the committee has asked relevant institutions to present details of the actions taken so far against individuals and organizations involved in cyber fraud. Moreover, the panel will also examine proposed steps and preventive measures to curb such crimes in the future.
The meeting will also evaluate the service quality of mobile phone operators across the country. The PTA chairman is expected to provide a briefing on the performance of telecom services and recent regulatory initiatives taken by the authority.
Additionally, the committee will deliberate on key developments in Pakistan’s artificial intelligence ecosystem. The IT secretary will present updates on the National Artificial Intelligence Development Project and Pakistan’s first locally developed large language model (LLM). A separate discussion will also be held on the Artificial Intelligence Bill 2024, introduced by Senator Afnanullah Khan.
