National roaming facility to be extended to National Highways, Motorways: Minister
Caretaker Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication, Dr Umar Saif, said on Friday that the national roaming facility’s scope would be extended to motorways and national highways to facilitate travellers. During his visit to the headquarters of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Dr. Umar Saif said, “The government is taking all possible steps to promote the telecom sector in the country.” Chairman PTA, Majgen (r) Hafeezur Rehman, Member Compliance & Enforcement PTA, Dr Khawar Sidique Khokhar, and senior officers of MOIT&T and PTA were present on the occasion. Senior officers briefed the minister about the functions of PTA, regulatory initiatives, and the overall performance of the telecom sector. The minister was informed that the PTA has consistently facilitated the thriving telecom industry in Pakistan, providing state-of-theart telecom, broadband, and ICT services. The challenges faced by the sector and the regulator’s ongoing efforts to address them were also discussed. Dr. Umar Saif stressed the importance of taking timely actions to address consumer complaints related to telecom operators. He proposed establishing a mechanism that enhances the PTA’S role in promoting public welfare and social initiatives. The minister expressed hope that the establishment of a Telecommunication Tribunal would expedite the resolution of consumer, telecom operator, and PTA matters. Dr. Umar Saif said that to connect with the digital world, it is necessary to provide digital facilities to the people. The minister assured full support of MOITT to PTA for its regulatory initiatives in ensuring the continued growth of the telecom sector of Pakistan. He appreciated the PTA’S role in uplifting the telecom sector and underscored the importance of investment-friendly policies and enabling regulatory frameworks. Additionally, Dr. Umar Saif visited PTA’S National Telecom Security Operations Center (NTSOC) during his visit.