Senate Standing Committee Urges Urgent Government Briefing on Mobile Phone Testing Protocols
The Senate Standing Committee for Science and Technology has summoned an urgent briefing from the government in response to alarming reports of Israel remotely detonating batteries of wireless devices during recent attacks in Lebanon. During the session on Wednesday, committee chairman Kamil Ali Agha and several senators expressed concerns about the potential risks to Pakistan, particularly as unregulated imports of mobile phones are on the rise.
Chairman Agha questioned the adequacy of the current mobile phone testing infrastructure and emphasized the need for the Ministry of Science & Technology to ensure that devices available in the market are safe. “These are not just mobile phones; they’re bombs we carry close to our bodies,” he warned.
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The committee addressed two main issues during the meeting: mobile phone safety and the domestic cement industry. Senator Shibli Faraz raised concerns about arrears totaling billions of rupees and suggested that the matter be referred to the Supreme Court or the Public Accounts Committee for further examination.
Officials from the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) have been summoned to provide a detailed report on these arrears at the next meeting. The committee criticized the PSQCA for its lack of effective monitoring, despite the authority reporting a 10 percent increase in revenue this year.
Additionally, the Right-Sizing Committee is currently reviewing the Ministry of Science & Technology, with potential restructuring on the horizon if deemed necessary.
