Islamabad, 12th July 2017: The 28th meeting of the Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication (M/o IT&T) was held under the Chairmanship of Captain (Retd.) Muhammad Safdar, MNA.

2.       The meeting was started with the recitation from the Holy Quran. Then, the Committee decided to proceed with the given agenda.

3.      The representative from Special Communication Organization (SCO) briefed the Committee regarding existing and future plans of SCO and also functioning of SCO. He informed the Committee that SCO was raised in July, 1976 on the directions of the Prime Minister in which it was decided that transfer communication responsibility of the AJ&K /NAs and parts of the Tribal Territories to Army. This also includes the construction and maintenance of roads. The requirements of Defence are paramount. Please work out extent and modalities of the transfer.

4.       He also informed the Committee that SCO was made part of legislation through section 40 of Pakistan Telecom (Re-organiztion) Act- 1996. Special Communications Organization Notwithstanding anything contained in section 39, the telecom services, within the Northern Areas and Azad Jammu & Kashmir shall be operated by the SCO and the Authority shall issue a license to the organization accordingly.

5.       He further informed the Committee about the launching of NGMS Services in Gilgit-Baltistan. It was informed that they are also working in FATA and trying to get grant of necessary mandate spectrum and required funds to operate in FATA.

6.      The Hon. MNAs/Member Mian Muhammad Farooq, Mehar Ishtiaq Ahmad, Ms. Shazia Mubashar, Ms. Zahra Wadood Fatemi, Ms. Shazia Sohail Mir, Engineer Dawar Khan Kundi, Ms. Shahjehan Muneer Mangrio and Ch. Muhammad Tufail attended the meeting. The senior officers from the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication were also attended the meeting.