The Senate Standing Committee on IT & Telecom erupted in anger after learning that Pakistan’s first local language AI model project was quietly handed to Jazz and NUST without any open bidding or competitive process.
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The project, aimed at preserving and promoting Pakistan’s dying local languages, was discussed in detail when Jazz officials admitted that data collection in Pakistan is a major challenge. They further claimed to have met with various ministries to push the project forward.
But the session turned fiery when Senator Humayun Mohmand launched a scathing attack on Jazz and NUST, questioning under what law or criteria the Ministry of IT decided to partner exclusively with them.
“For years, I have only heard NUST’s name in such projects. Why is the Ministry favoring the same players again and again? Why wasn’t this project advertised so other capable companies could participate?” Mohmand demanded.
Senator Afnan Ullah pressed for clarity on who was funding the project, to which the IT Secretary admitted Jazz and NUST were financing it. Mohmand warned that such a partnership would unfairly strengthen Jazz’s market dominance and fuel monopoly concerns.
A key Jazz official quietly left the meeting just as the parliamentary panel began its tough questioning, raising eyebrows among committee members.
Even the committee chairman voiced serious concerns, questioning why other telecom operators were not invited. “No public advertisement was issued. The Ministry just signed an MoU with Jazz,” he noted, agreeing with Mohmand’s criticism.
The IT Secretary failed to give a convincing explanation for bypassing other companies, reinforcing the perception that transparency and merit have once again been sidelined in Pakistan’s telecom sector.
