Apple entry in Pakistan: NA panel seeks answers over poor mobile services
The committee decided to summon telecom companies for answers about ongoing network problems.
The National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication expressed concern over the quality of mobile services. Chairman Aminul Haque said users sometimes had to dial the same number three times to connect a call.
“The quality of mobile and internet services is deteriorating day by day after the spectrum auction instead of any improvement,” the MQM-P lawmaker said.
PTA asked to explain action
The committee questioned the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) about action against telecom companies. Members said warnings and show-cause notices had not led to enough improvement in network quality.
Committee members said the main reasons behind poor services were still not being addressed. They also criticised the PTA for repeatedly giving similar explanations without bringing visible improvement.
Member Shazia Fareed said she had faced almost no mobile signals during her stay at Islamabad’s Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims). Other members also stressed the need for stronger action to improve services.
The committee said the PTA should carry out its duties and inform parliament if any issue was stopping it from taking action. Members decided to call telecom company representatives to explain the problems directly.
PTA explains penalties and 5G progress
PTA officials told the committee that mobile and internet services were being monitored regularly. They said surveys were also conducted in different cities to check service quality.
According to the officials, telecom companies were given 30 days to improve their networks. The PTA can impose a maximum fine of Rs350 million on companies over service-related issues.
Officials said telecom companies often obtained court stay orders against penalties. Several cases were still pending, while decisions of the Telecom Tribunal had also been challenged in courts.
The PTA said service quality was improving after the launch of 5G. It added that clear rollout targets had been given to telecom companies.
A PTA member said the number of 5G sites in Karachi had increased to 279. IT Secretary Zarar Hasham Khan also said telecom companies had installed equipment meeting international standards.
He said the government focused on improving service quality rather than revenue during the 5G spectrum auction held in March. The committee directed the PTA to provide details of fines imposed on telecom companies and the amounts recovered.
Apple entry plans discussed
The committee also discussed efforts to bring Apple into Pakistan’s manufacturing sector. Aminul Haque questioned why Apple had not entered the country when other major international smartphone companies were already operating locally.
Engineering Development Board (EDB) Chief Executive Officer Hammad Mansoor said negotiations were under way to bring Apple to Pakistan. He also said efforts were being made to arrange a meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Apple CEO John Ternus during the prime minister’s upcoming US visit.
Mansoor said an Apple store had already been established in Pakistan. He expressed hope that the company would also enter the country’s manufacturing market.
The EDB chief said 37 companies were currently manufacturing mobile phones in Pakistan. More than 35 million mobile devices have been manufactured locally so far.
The committee was told that all major smartphone companies were manufacturing phones in Pakistan except Apple. Haque directed the IT ministry and PTA to prepare detailed information for the next meeting and continue efforts to bring Apple to Pakistan.
Poor mobile services remain a major concern for users and lawmakers. The committee’s decision to call telecom companies could put more pressure on them to improve their networks.
Apple’s possible entry could also bring more attention to Pakistan’s mobile manufacturing sector. However, negotiations and any future investment plans will need to progress before a confirmed entry can be announced.
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