Lawmakers decry slow internet in NA, across country

• MNAs complain poor connectivity affecting parliament’s paperless mechanism
• Minister assures them spectrum auction will address problem
• Concerns raised over digital harassment, online fraud

ISLAMABAD: Several members of the National Assembly on Thursday raised the issue of slow internet speed in the House as well as across the country, in the context of recent efforts to switch to a paperless working environment in parliament to enhance efficiency and reduce costs.

Despite repeated requests by the NA chair, the majority of MNAs from all sides paid no attention to the implementation of the paperless system in parliament.

Deputy Speaker Ghulam Mustafa Shah reminded members that parliamentary proceedings were being automated as part of efforts to modernise the functioning of the House and the physical distribution of bills and other documents would soon be eradicated.

“All the members have been provided with tablets to facilitate paperless proceedings and improve efficiency. We want to minimise paper usage,” Shah said.

JUI-F MNA Naeema Kishwer responded that she was attempting to benefit from the paperless mechanism, but had been unable to download documents for the past hour due to poor internet connectivity.

She requested the NA Secretariat to resolve the issue to ensure the smooth functioning of proceedings and timely access to official material for lawmakers.

The deputy speaker later directed the authorities to address the internet problem in the House.

PPP lawmaker Dr Nafisa Shah said members had failed to comply with the speaker’s instructions regarding the use of tablets during sittings, “possibly due to a lack of understanding of the gadgets”.

Some MNAs called for the establishment of a dedicated desk in the NA to facilitate members facing issues with the digital system.

Lawmakers, including Sharmila Faru­qui, questioned the reasons for slow internet across the country and asked whether the spectrum auction would result in better internet facilities for consumers.

Federal Information Technology and Telecom Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja replied that internet services were expected to improve following the recent spectrum auction aimed at strengthening the country’s telecommunications infrastructure. She added that telecom operators had halted the opening of letters of credit in 2022, affecting the import of equipment and network expansion.

Khawaja further said that the stabilisation of the dollar after 2022 had helped improve conditions for the telecom sector and infrastructure development.

The minister described the recent exercise as “the world’s largest spectrum auction”, saying it would contribute to improving connectivity and digital services in Pakistan.

Digital harassment

The MNAs also expressed concerns over digital harassment, online fraud and the theft of personal data during a question regarding cyber safety and public awareness.

Khawaja said authorities regularly issued advisories urging citizens not to share one-time passwords and PIN codes with unknown individuals.

She said public awareness played a key role in preventing digital fraud and added that some improvement had been witnessed in tackling such incidents.

PPP MNA Shazia Marri, however, stressed the need for a comprehensive and organised awareness campaign, saying online scams were being carried out “with great audacity”. She urged the government to engage media houses as part of efforts to educate the public about cyber threats and online safety.

Responding to the concerns, Kha­waja said the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority was actively working on the issue alongside other relevant institutions.

Published in Dawn, May 15th, 2026