Islamabad, Jan 22: Senator Afnan Ullah expressed his dissatisfaction during the Senate Standing Committee on IT & Telecom, highlighting his obstruction from presenting the Virtual Assets Bill 2025—a piece of legislation he spent months perfecting.
The bill, aimed at regulating virtual assets in Pakistan, including the introduction of a Digital Rupee, faced unexpected resistance which Senator Ullah attributed to the Ministry of IT and Telecom (MoITT). Accusing the MoITT of stifling private member initiatives and marginalizing his contributions, he announced his plans to introduce a privilege motion in response.
In a parallel discussion, the long-awaited Personal Data Protection Bill came under scrutiny. Despite approval by the federal cabinet in 2022, the bill remains in limbo, awaiting re-approval. MoITT officials stated that ongoing stakeholder consultations have delayed its progression.
The committee considered integrating Senator Ullah’s proposals into the government’s draft to streamline legislative efforts.
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Senator Ullah also levied serious allegations against the Ministry of IT, asserting that his personal data had been compromised under their watch.
He criticized the ministry’s delegation of critical responsibilities to external agencies, questioning their commitment to safeguarding citizen’s data and regulating emerging technologies effectively.
This session underscored a pressing need for enhanced legislative processes to better support individual members and ensure timely and effective governance in the digital age.
