ATMs in Pakistan at risk of disruption

The Senate Standing Committee on IT and Telecom was briefed by Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman Hafeez Ur Rehman on critical arrears owed by Long-Distance International (LDI) companies.

Rehman shared that while 10 out of 15 firms have settled arrears amounting to Rs10 billion, an additional Rs24 billion remains unpaid. Due to penalties for late payments, the cumulative arrears have now surged to Rs74 billion.

The PTA chairman highlighted the potential repercussions if these companies fail to pay, warning that license revocations could lead to severe disruptions.

Such a move, he noted, would affect up to 50% of mobile services and 40% of ATM networks across the country.

In addition, the committee deliberated Pakistan’s current reliance on foreign fibre-optic networks.

PTA officials introduced the National Fiberisation Policy, which aims to mitigate this dependency by promoting a more self-sustaining infrastructure, thereby reducing vulnerability to external pressures.

The meeting also addressed regulatory developments in artificial intelligence, specifically the proposed Regulation of Artificial Intelligence Bill 2024.

Some committee members voiced doubts about the Ministry’s ability to regulate AI, given the ongoing challenges in managing social media, including the proliferation of misinformation.

A participant proposed exploring regulatory models similar to China’s, suggesting the establishment of alternative platforms to better control digital information.