ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Information Technology Minister, Dr. Umar Saif has announced that the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) will soon appoint a consultant to facilitate a smooth and efficient auction of the much-anticipated 5G spectrum.
The federal cabinet has approved the auction of the 5G spectrum, and it has established a Spectrum Auction Advisory Committee led by the finance minister, with members from the IT ministry and the industries ministry, to oversee the process.
Dr. Saif stated that the 5G spectrum would make 300 megahertz of spectrum available, potentially revolutionizing Pakistan’s telecommunications landscape. The appointment of a consultant through the PTA will ensure a streamlined and efficient spectrum auction process.
Furthermore, the cabinet has approved the sharing of telecommunications infrastructure, allowing telecom companies to install their equipment on each other’s towers, which will optimize their operational and maintenance costs.
Nadra Chairman Reveals Counterfeit CNIC Issuance Scandal to Senate Committee
Meanwhile, the newly appointed chairman of the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) informed a Senate panel that some Nadra staff and external actors have been involved in issuing fake Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs) to non-citizens.
During his first appearance before the Senate Standing Committee on Interior, Lt Gen Munir Afsar stated, “Additionally, illegal residents succeed in becoming part of native family trees by offering bribes to the family members.”
Senator Mohsin Aziz chaired the Senate committee meeting and other participants included the caretaker Minister for Interior Sarfraz Bugti, Interior Secretary Aftab Akbar Durrani, Special Interior Secretary Nadeem Mehboob, DG Passport and Immigration Mustafa Jamal Kazi, and several other senators.
The Nadra chairman mentioned that Nadra has taken action against its employees, suspending around 84 officials for their involvement in illegal activities. However, he noted that employees often escape punishment due to the absence of laws regarding data privacy.
Afsar explained that non-nationals typically attempt to infiltrate Pakistani families through various means, including the use of old manual identity cards issued before the establishment of Nadra, identity cards of deceased individuals issued before 2004 (with unavailable biometric data), and the patronage of influential figures.
He reassured the committee that Nadra was continuously improving its verification process to issue CNICs to genuine citizens and prevent non-nationals from intruding into Pakistani families.
