Senate Committee Questions Ufone Service Collapse, $210m? 210 Million Active SIMs; Seeks Details of OPF, NEPRA Appointments. The Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat has questioned the recent collapse in Ufone services, raised serious concerns over high salaries and appointments in public sector institutions, and sought detailed information on the appointment of the Managing Director of the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF).
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The committee, chaired by Senator Rana Mahmood-ul-Hassan, met at the Establishment Division on Thursday to review matters concerning Pakistan’s telecommunications sector, public sector appointments and administrative affairs.
Senators Saadia Abbasi, Abdul Qadir, Dilawar Khan, Aimal Wali Khan and Saleem Mandviwalla attended the meeting, along with the Secretary Cabinet Division and Secretary Establishment Division. The Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) also briefed the committee on the implementation of recommendations made during its previous meeting.
Pakistan has 210 million active SIMs
Briefing the committee on the telecommunications sector, the PTA chairman said the number of active SIMs in Pakistan has reached 210 million, reflecting continued expansion of mobile connectivity across the country.
He also informed lawmakers that PTCL and Ufone are currently being separated as part of the ongoing restructuring process.
The recent disruption in Ufone services came under particular scrutiny. Chairman Committee Senator Rana Mahmood-ul-Hassan directly questioned the PTA chairman, asking, “Why has Ufone’s service collapsed?”
In response, the PTA chairman said Ufone is a government-owned company and assured the committee that the issues would be resolved soon after the completion of the Ufone-Telenor merger, which he said is expected to be completed in the coming days.
Ufone-Telenor merger to create new telecom company
The PTA chairman further told the committee that a new telecommunications company will be established following the merger of Ufone and Telenor.
He also disclosed that the PTA is in discussions with the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to facilitate SIM issuance through the Pak ID platform.
According to the PTA chairman, the proposed system would allow citizens to obtain SIMs from their homes through Pak ID, eliminating the need for them to visit physical outlets and making SIM registration more convenient and digitally accessible.
During the discussion on Pakistan’s digital transformation, Senator Saleem Mandviwalla pointed out that the rest of the world has already moved towards eSIM technology and questioned Pakistan’s position in comparison with global technological developments.
Senator raises questions over Rs1m OPF salary
The committee then turned its attention to appointments and salaries in public sector institutions, with Senator Aimal Wali Khan raising serious questions over the appointment of the Managing Director of the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF).
Senator Aimal Wali Khan said that while the Prime Minister has publicly stated that an individual can manage monthly expenses with Rs8,000, an appointment carrying a monthly salary of Rs1 million raises serious questions.
He further informed the committee that another individual had been appointed at OPF on a monthly salary of Rs2.5 million.
The senator also alleged that the person appointed as Managing Director OPF does not possess a Pakistani National Identity Card and is a British citizen by birth.
He further questioned how an individual convicted by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was able to secure another government appointment.
Taking notice of the concerns, the Senate committee directed the relevant authorities to submit complete details of the appointment of the Managing Director OPF.
Establishment Division says suitable candidates unavailable
Responding to the committee’s questions regarding public sector appointments, officials of the Establishment Division said that suitable candidates are not available for certain specialised positions.
Senator Aimal Wali Khan also criticised what he described as a culture of retaining government positions despite prolonged inability to perform official duties. He remarked that some individuals continue to remain in office even while they are on their deathbeds.
Rs3.2m NEPRA chairman salary questioned
The appointment and performance of the Chairman of the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) also came under scrutiny.
Senator Aimal Wali Khan questioned why the NEPRA chairman is drawing a monthly salary of Rs3.2 million despite being unable to attend committee meetings.
He stated that the NEPRA chairman had remained ill only a few weeks after his appointment, does not attend office, but continues to receive his monthly salary.
High Powered Board, CSB meetings expected
The committee was also briefed on the timelines for meetings of the High Powered Selection Board and the Central Selection Board (CSB).
The Secretary Establishment Division informed the committee that the meeting of the High Powered Board is expected to be held within four to five weeks, while the Central Selection Board meeting is likely to take place within six to eight weeks.
Senate committee seeks timely information
Concluding the proceedings, Chairman Committee Senator Rana Mahmood-ul-Hassan directed the relevant authorities to ensure the timely submission of all information sought by the committee.
He said the information would enable the committee to comprehensively examine pending matters concerning public appointments, governance and institutional reforms in its forthcoming meetings.
The committee reiterated the need for greater transparency, accountability, digital reforms and effective public service delivery across government institutions.
