Federal committee to review load-shedding exemption for telecom towers

The federal government has formed a committee to review proposals for exempting telecom towers from load-shedding, as prolonged power outages continue to disrupt internet and telecom services across parts of the country.

According to a news report, officials informed the Senate Subcommittee on Information Technology and Telecommunications (IT&T) that the committee will be headed by the IT secretary and will submit its recommendations to the federal government within three months.

The committee includes the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) chairman, a member of the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra), and representatives of the Power Division and the telecom industry.

It has been tasked with recommending smart solutions to ensure an uninterrupted electricity supply to telecom infrastructure.

Officials said the committee will also examine the possibility of providing a dedicated electricity supply to telecom towers when feeders are switched off. It will also review a proposal to place telecom infrastructure under the industrial electricity tariff.

The Senate panel was told that telecom companies are paying their electricity bills in full but continue to face load-shedding.

Officials said power outages in several districts last up to 14 hours, while telecom operators can maintain services for only three to four hours during electricity cuts before backup systems become ineffective.

Separately, the Senate Standing Committee on IT&T, chaired by Senator Sadia Abbasi, also reviewed persistent internet disruptions and operational challenges facing the telecom sector.

Officials cited prolonged power outages, diesel theft and security concerns in some areas as major causes of service interruptions.

The committee discussed theft of diesel used to operate telecom towers and was informed that the IT Ministry should coordinate with provincial police authorities to address the issue.

PTA officials told the committee that laws already exist to deal with diesel theft and FIRs can be registered in such cases.

However, they said telecom operators often fail to lodge FIRs after incidents of diesel or equipment theft.

The committee was informed that the PTA has directed telecom operators to ensure registration of an FIR whenever diesel or equipment is stolen.

Ministry officials told lawmakers that the PTA is the statutory regulator of telecom operators and that licences can be revoked if companies fail to comply with regulatory requirements.

PTA officials said surveillance cameras are increasingly being used instead of security guards to monitor diesel and equipment theft.

They added that operators also need to properly pursue theft cases after such incidents occur.