By Our Correspondent
Copyright pakobserver
ISLAMABAD – The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology has referred a major billing controversy involving telecom giant Jazz to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
The move comes after an audit revealed that the company allegedly overcharged customers by as much as Rs6 billion through increased package pricing.
During the committee meeting, concerns were also raised about the deteriorating quality of mobile network services across the country. Lawmakers expressed frustration over poor service standards and lack of accountability from telecom operators.
Furthermore, the committee was informed that hackers have uploaded the personal data of approximately 350,000 Hajj applicants to the dark web. This includes data from citizens who applied for the 2026 pilgrimage. The revelation sparked intense concern among members of Parliament, with Committee Chairperson Senator Palwasha Khan labeling it a matter of “national security and public trust.”
The chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) stated that investigations are underway to determine whether the breach is linked to the notorious 2022 data leak or if it is a new incident altogether. In addition to Hajj applicants, data of regular SIM card users is also believed to be compromised.
Committee members voiced their anger over the government’s inaction on the long-pending Data Protection Bill, which has yet to be passed despite repeated calls for urgent legislation. Senator Afnanullah lamented the delay, stating, “The law that could prevent this kind of data theft is the very law we are being stopped from passing.”
Doubts were also cast on the capabilities of the newly formed National Cyber Crime Agency (NCCA), which has been assigned to lead the investigation.
The PTA chairman confirmed that the Ministry of Interior has officially handed over the probe to the NCCA. Lawmakers further raised concerns about the security of data held by the Election Commission and NADRA, citing past incidents where strategic use of stolen data had implications during periods of heightened tensions with India.
