Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunications, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, has clarified that Islamabad will not receive free citywide Wi-Fi, citing concerns over the commercial interests of telecom operators. However, she announced that selected public areas, such as metro stations, will be equipped with free Wi-Fi hotspots within the year.
The announcement was made during a Senate Standing Committee on IT meeting chaired by Senator Palwasha Khan. The committee had proposed free Wi-Fi access on metro buses, but the minister refrained from making any firm commitment on that front.
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Shaza Fatima highlighted that the government is instead focused on enhancing digital infrastructure through fiberization at key locations, including Parliament House, educational institutions, and hospitals.
The meeting also saw heated exchanges regarding the re-shortlisting of Syed Jawad for the vacant post of DG International Coordination, raising transparency concerns. Additionally, the committee discussed Pakistan’s first ChatGPT-style AI tool, Zehanath AI, which the minister clarified is a private initiative supported by the government only through a press event.
