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ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat on Tuesday deliberated upon issues concerning public importance, including problems in cellular networks on major highways and motorways, ending Kunda culture in Karachi, besides emphasizing legislation making to ensure the safety of citizens against LPG/CNG cylinder blasts.

The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Senator Rana Maqbool Ahmad,in which, various legislative matters also came under discussion.

During the meeting, The Akhuwat Institute Kasur Bill 2023 was unanimously approved after deliberations.

Whereas, The International Islamic Institute for Peace (IIIP) Bill, 2023 and The National University of Health, Emerging Science and Technologies Islamabad Bill, 2023 were conditionally passed, pending submission of required documents to the Higher Education Commission (HEC).

The committee also received a comprehensive briefing from Chairman PTA Major Gen Hafeezur Rehman (retired), who shed light on the authority’s performance and functions over the past two years.

Responding to the concerns raised by senators regarding problems in networks on roads and motorways, he said that efforts are being underway to enhance connectivity.

He highlighted that PTA oversees 2,000 licensees across various sectors, serving 191 million mobile users and 127 million broadband subscribers. He added that the authority has blocked four million SIM cards in the last six months due to various reasons. Fiberization challenges were acknowledged during the meeting and the chairman PTA emphasized the need for an early completion of fiberization process to address ongoing difficulties being faced by the PTA.

Senator Mushtaq Ahmed brought attention to crucial areas such as cyber security, unlawful content on social media, individual privacy, and consumer rights. The chair sought recommendations for addressing issues of the PTA, to be submitted in written form to the committee.

The committee also engaged with officials from Naya Pakistan Housing Authority, urging them to ensure proper maintenance and transparency. The officials were assured of the committee’s support in facilitating the Housing Authority’s goals and meeting financial constraints.

The committee also discussed Kunda culture in Karachi and ways to tackle this challenge, improper billing, and taxation (on the electricity bills) issues with the DG Nepra.

About the taxation levied on electricity bills, the DG Nepra clarified the legal context of these levies. The members underscored the need for efforts to curb malpractices in discos.

About the public safety campaign against LPG cylinder blasts, officials from the Ogra apprised the committee of their public awareness campaign. The chair emphasized the importance of public awareness and encouraged the Ogra, Law Ministry, and Cabinet Division to expedite the law-making process to ensure the safety of citizens. The members also stressed an innovative public awareness campaign involving a caller tune as a step towards ensuring public safety while using cylinders.

The meeting was attended by senators, Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, Rukhsana Zuberi, Saadia Abbasi, Syed Waqar Mehdi, while Senators Irfanul Haq Siddiqui and Danesh Kumar participated as movers.

Senior officers from Establishment Division, PTA, Nepra, Ogra, FPSC, and HEC were also present at the meeting.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023

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