"The government is cognizant of the security threats and working on a plan to establish Cyber Security Authority to deal with any such kind of threats," he said. The committee met with Senator Rubina Khalid in the chair where the parliamentarians asked what kinds of protective measure have been taken in case of cyber attacks. The minister said that in collaboration with all the stakeholders, comprehensive plans would be devised in this regard.
The meeting commenced with members of the committee showing concern regarding the potential threat of a cyber attack on Pakistan. Keeping in view the sensitivity of the matter, it was recommended that the issue be taken up separately in the next meeting. Senator Rehman Malik opined that in response to India's tall claims regarding Balakot attack, satellite images may be released to prove the falsity of Indian claims before the world. He urged the minister to take appropriate measures in this regard.
The committee strongly opposed the imposition of taxes on bringing more than one mobile phone to Pakistan and recommended that this policy be revisited in consultation with the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication. Senator Mian Muhammad Ateeq Shaikh said that the policy had numerous flaws and for clarity every aspect of it must be evaluated separately.
The chief customs informed the committee that 34,000 mobile phones had been registered through the DIRBS system so far, where Rs 1.5 million were collected in taxes on 116 mobile handsets. As per the policy, one mobile phone was allowed duty free per year but one has to pay taxes for more than one mobile phone. The committee observed that the figures were not very encouraging and there was need to revisit the policy. The committee further recommended that the condition of one mobile per year for passengers may be withdrawn.
The committee also raised questions on the Universal Service Fund (USF) while observing it that the government was showing it in revenue proceeds. The committee directed for presenting the audit report of last 10 years to identify whether or not any irregularities were carried out. The issues taken up by the committee included the payment of increase in pensions of Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) employees, implementation status of the previous committee recommendations and issue of streamlining the collection of taxes on cell phones brought from abroad at airports.
Senator Abdul Rehman Malik inquired whether telecom service providers seek permission from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) while upgrading their technologies as the recent up-gradation from 3G to 4G happened. The PTA chairman informed that licensing conditions of the service providers were 'technology neutral.' While deliberating upon the matter of PTCL pensioners, Rubina Khalid said it was a shame that this matter was not being resolved and showed displeasure over the absence of the Board of Trustees from the meeting.
Senator Kulsoom Parveen was of the view that privatisation agreements did not ensure the employees' protection in many cases. She said that in such cases it was imperative that employees' interest protection clauses be added to all such agreements of the privatisation. On the absence of Trustees of the Pakistan Telecommunication Employees Trust (PTET), Rehman Malik was of the view that the committee could not be taken lightly and stringent measures must be taken against all those who do not comply with the directions of the Committee.
Senator Rukhsana Zuberi was of the view that meeting the trustees was important because they were entrusted with the power to decide on the issue of the pensions of the retired PTCL employees. A sub-Committee was formed to deliberate over this matter in detail.
The meeting was attended by senators including Rehman Malik, Ghous Muhammad Khan Niazi, Engr Rukhsana Zuberi, Sana Jamali, Fida Muhammad, Mian Muhammad Ateeq Shaikh, Molana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Taj Muhammad Afridi, Kulsoom Parveen, Faisal Javed, and senior officers from the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, PTA and Federal Board of Revenue.