Islamabad:
Senators on Tuesday raised concerns in the Senate over persistent mobile phone signal issues in Chitral and even within Parliament Lodges, highlighting ongoing gaps in basic connectivity.
During the session, Senator Falak Naz said residents of Chitral continued to face mobile signal disruptions, which were affecting communication and access to essential services. Lawmakers noted that unreliable coverage in remote areas was adding to public inconvenience.
Senator Kamran Murtaza also pointed out that mobile signals were frequently unavailable at Parliament Lodges in Islamabad, raising questions about service quality in the federal capital.
The concerns were raised amid broader discussions on connectivity challenges, with senators stressing the need for improved mobile coverage to meet public communication needs.
This highlights serious shortcomings in basic mobile connectivity. When issues related to mobile signals in areas such as Chitral and even at locations like Parliament Lodges are raised on an important legislative forum like the Senate, it raises questions about network coverage and service quality.
In remote regions such as Chitral, the lack of mobile signals disrupts everyday communication, emergency response and access to basic services. For local residents, mobile phones are no longer a convenience but a necessity, and the absence of reliable connectivity reinforces a sense of isolation and deprivation.
In this context, the vision of Digital Pakistan — which is centred on equitable digital access and technology-led development — comes under strain when fundamental connectivity challenges remain unresolved. Mobile networks form the backbone of e-governance, online education, digital payments and future advanced technologies.
