PTA Wraps Up LDI License Hearings; Verdict Expected Within Weeks

A meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on IT and Telecom, chaired by Senator Palwasha Khan, convened to discuss a range of pressing issues, including the renewal of LDI (Long Distance and International) licenses, the establishment of a national digital authority, and the state of Pakistan’s IT exports. The Secretary of IT and the Chairman of PTA briefed the committee on the status of LDI license renewals. The Secretary noted that the Sindh High Court had referred all LDI cases back to the PTA, and several meetings had already taken place with LDI companies. A decision on the matter is expected within the next few weeks. The PTA Chairman added that show-cause notices had been issued to seven LDI companies, and hearings on these cases have concluded. The National Assembly’s standing committee had previously directed that LDI companies be given a month to respond or face a decision. The committee also discussed the creation of a Data Exchange Layer under the DEEP project and the formation of the Pakistan Digital Authority, which will serve as a regulatory body. The National Digital Commission, comprising chief ministers from all provinces, will approve the master plan. Some senators raised concerns about potential encroachment on provincial powers, but the IT Secretary assured that provinces would be included in the commission and consensus would be sought, similar to the National Finance Commission. The Federal IT Minister’s absence from the meeting drew the ire of the committee chairperson, who postponed the agenda until the minister’s presence could be ensured at the next meeting. The committee also received a briefing on Pakistan’s first ChatGPT-style AI project, “Zahant AI.” Officials clarified that this was not an official project of the IT Ministry, and that previous statements had been misunderstood. The committee decided to defer further discussion until the Federal IT Minister could provide clarification in person. Finally, the committee addressed concerns about negative propaganda on social media during times of conflict. The PTA Chairman explained that the authority receives around 300 content-blocking requests daily and has created a portal for government institutions. Over the past five months, more than 45,000 complaints were received, with the majority concerning Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. The committee suggested that social media companies should establish offices in Pakistan to better address local concerns.