The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication met under the chairmanship of Senator Palwasha Mohammad Zai Khan here at the Parliament Lodges on Tuesday, to review progress on key IT initiatives and discuss pressing issues in the sector.
The Ministry of IT and Telecommunication informed the committee that out of 23 ongoing PSDP projects, 11 have been completed so far. These projects carry a cumulative cost of Rs. 97.12 billion. For the fiscal year 2024-25, Rs. 21.43 billion was initially allocated. However, following budgetary adjustments through surrender and re-appropriation, the final budget now stands at Rs. 8.59 billion.
A key point of discussion was the delay in the Karachi IT Park project, which is being funded through Korean assistance. Ministry officials revealed that the project was stalled due to regional tensions between India and Pakistan, which raised security concerns for the Korean stakeholders. As a result, construction was temporarily suspended.
The bidding process has now been re-advertised, and multiple Korean companies have been invited to participate. Coordination is currently underway with the Embassy of the Republic of Korea.
The committee also examined the recent recruitment process for the post of Director General (International Coordination). Out of nearly 1,400 applicants, only seven candidates were shortlisted. However, committee members expressed dissatisfaction with the selection process, noting that only the former DG was considered competitive and was reappointed.
They criticized the overemphasis on government experience, which they argued might exclude qualified private sector professionals. Chairperson Senator Palwasha directed the Ministry to submit all application forms from the last shortlisting to review the rejection criteria and ensure transparency and fairness.
The Ministry further briefed the committee on the Smart Islamabad Project, which aims to provide fiber optic connectivity to key public institutions including schools, hospitals, police stations, and metro services. Officials said the project would be implemented in collaboration with private sector partners to reduce the financial burden on the government.
During the meeting, Senator Manzoor Ahmed raised an important question regarding the number of students and professionals from Balochistan who have gone abroad for IT-related education or employment. Ministry officials acknowledged the relevance of the query and assured the committee that a comprehensive survey would be conducted to gather this data, with a full report to follow.
The meeting was attended by Senators Nadeem Ahmed Bhutto, Dr Afnan Ullah Khan, Dr Mohammed Humayun Mohammed, Manzoor Ahmed, Syed Kazim Ali Shah, Saifullah Sarwar Khan Nyzee, Gurdeep Singh, Pervaiz Ahmed, and senior officials from the Ministry and relevant departments.