The Senate Functional Committee on problems of less developed areas on Tuesday sought ten years performance record of Universal Service Fund (USF) and expressed dissatisfaction over services of telecom companies in Balochistan and other less developed areas.
The meeting was held here in the Parliament House in the chair of Senator Muhammad Usman Khan Kakar.
The committee members said people are facing problems in remote areas of the country due to poor network and services of the telecom companies.
Committee member Senator Fida Muhammad said areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including tribal areas are facing worst kind of telecom network. He suggested that the committee should be provided with ten years performance record of the USF to ascertain transparency in the projects.
Other committee members also supported the proposal and relevant officials were directed to submit the record for scrutiny.
Representatives of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority and the USF informed the committee members that projects worth Rs 57 billion are being executed under the USF, out of which projects worth Rs 32 billion are in progress in Balochistan.
The committee was also informed that 120 centres have been established under the USF in different parts of the country where women are imparted technical training. The committee has also sought performance report of these centres.
The committee expressed annoyance over alleged violation of the job quota for the remote areas, especially Balochistan, and sought a detailed report over it too. The committee also expressed displeasure over absence of minister for information technology and decided to send a notice to him.