IT Ministry to launch 5G technology in Pakistan next year: Fawad Chaudhry

• Fawad Chaudhry says PM Imran Khan directed the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority to ensure good telecom services in all parts of the country.
• Cabinet decides to introduce reforms in criminal justice system.
• Rejects the proposal of giving allowances to Senate, National Assembly and federal cabinet members and officials.

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry Tuesday said that the Ministry of Information Technology would launch 5G technology in the country next year.

Briefing the media about decisions taken by the Federal Cabinet in a meeting today chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan, Chaudhry said that multiple companies had already shown interest in launching 5G technology in Pakistan.

Chaudhry said that PM Imran Khan directed the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority to ensure good telecommunication services in all parts of the country so that everyone could benefit from revolution in the sector.

Cabinet to make reforms in criminal justice system

Moreover, the minister told the media that the federal cabinet has made a landmark decision to introduce comprehensive reforms in the obsolete and outdated criminal justice system in the country in line with the prime minister's vision for provision of timely and inexpensive justice.

He said that Minister for Law and Justice Farogh Naseem gave the cabinet a detailed briefing on the proposed law, adding that these reforms would entirely change the criminal justice system.

Chaudhry said the reforms would fulfill PM Imran Khan's agenda of improvement in the criminal justice system to ensure timely justice.

He said the focus of reforms would ensure inexpensive and timely provision of justice besides ending a delay in trial and hurdles in registration of first information reports (FIR).

He said the matter would now be discussed in the Cabinet Committee on Law and Justice and after that it would be implemented.

Allowances denied to Senate, NA and cabinet officials

He said the cabinet rejected the proposal of giving 10% adhoc relief to Chairman and Deputy Chairman Senate, Speaker and Deputy Speaker National Assembly and members of Senate and National Assembly in their salaries.

He said the cabinet had also rejected an allowance traditionally given to members of the federal cabinet.

The minister said the decision was part of the austerity measures taken by the incumbent government from day one to reduce burden on the national exchequer.

He said the decision was meant to show the nation that people in corridors of power were setting an example for other people to save the nation's wealth.

He said the Prime Minister House has made big savings in its expenditure as part of the PM's austerity drive and the National Assembly secretariat has returned Rs1.54 billion to the government.

FBR gets permission to hire data-securing services

He further said that the cabinet allowed the Federal Board of Revenue to hire services for making its data more secure following a cyber-attack on August 14 this year.

Chaudhry said hackers attacked the FBR website, however most of its data remained safe and an operational emergency was declared to secure its data.

He said the cabinet was informed that this year about a million cyber-attacks were made on Pakistani websites which were thwarted by National Telecom Company. It was informed that a comprehensive framework of cyber security was in place which was being further strengthened.

Chaudhry said that the Ministry of Science and Technology briefed the cabinet on the process of using electronic voting machines and overseas Pakistanis' voting right.

Miscellaneous decisions

The minister said the cabinet gave approval for the establishment of Quaid-e-Azam Foundation.

Chaudhry said the prime minister expressed disappointment over a delay in procurement of wheat despite his clear instructions for early procurement. He said Punjab province was issued directives for immediate release of wheat which, he said, would help in the gradual reduction of wheat and flour prices in the market.

On the proposal of the tariff policy board, the cabinet approved reduction in additional customs duty on auto parts from seven to two percent to promote indigenous production of vehicles.

He said additional customs duty on heavy commercial vehicles had also been reduced from seven to two percent. Moreover, he said that prices of cars that are 1000CC and below would fall after the abolishment of additional duty on their equipment.