Islamabad: Pakistanis watch approximately 560 million videos on YouTube every day, while TikTok has around 100 million user accounts in the country, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman Major General (retd) Hafeezur Rehman told a National Assembly committee on Tuesday.

Briefing the Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunications, the PTA chairman said YouTube had approximately 96 million users in Pakistan, placing the country among the largest markets for online video consumption. He claimed Pakistan ranked first globally in YouTube video viewership, although the committee was not provided with publicly verifiable comparative data to establish the ranking.

The figures were presented during a meeting chaired by MNA Syed Aminul Haque at Parliament House, where lawmakers also questioned the performance of telecommunications networks.

The PTA chairman also shared figures on WhatsApp usage, saying the platform had approximately 100 million accounts in Pakistan. According to figures reported by other media outlets covering the briefing, users send around 12 billion messages and make approximately one billion WhatsApp calls daily.

The numbers illustrate the volume of communication taking place through internet-based services, although the PTA did not publicly explain how the usage estimates were calculated or whether they represented accounts or individual users.

Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunications Shaza Fatima Khawaja told the committee that social media platforms and artificial intelligence applications were contributing to an increase in data consumption. The growth in online activity has placed greater demands on mobile networks, making service capacity and reliability issues for consumers, businesses and institutions that depend on internet access.

Lawmakers question mobile network performance

Despite the reported growth in digital activity, committee members expressed dissatisfaction with mobile coverage, internet disruptions and the pace of infrastructure improvements. MNA Ahmad Atiq said mobile services in his constituency and along the route to Karachi remained unreliable.

He also complained about WhatsApp calls being disconnected in Islamabad, questioning how the government could expand 5G services when users in some rural areas continued to face difficulties accessing 3G networks. Atiq sought details of the fibre optic infrastructure installed during the past two and a half years.

Committee member Asia Ishaq raised concerns about the performance of 4G networks and questioned whether lawmakers would need to approach the Supreme Court to compel telecom operators to improve their services. The complaints reflected concerns about the gap between the government's plans to expand network capacity and the connectivity problems experienced by consumers.

PTA outlines steps to improve connectivity

Responding to the criticism, Hafeezur Rehman said he had visited 41 districts with representatives of telecom operators to inspect mobile towers and assess service quality. He said the PTA had directed companies to address shortcomings in their networks.

However, the chairman acknowledged difficulties in taking regulatory action, explaining that operators frequently obtained court stay orders against financial penalties. He said issuing show cause notices remained a measure of last resort for the authority. The discussion highlighted the challenges facing the regulator in enforcing service standards while telecommunications companies expand their networks.

Government defends 5G rollout

Shaza Fatima Khawaja said the government had taken steps to introduce 5G services across Pakistan, with the technology being rolled out in 24 cities. She linked the expansion to the government's spectrum auction, arguing that the country had not held such an auction since the government led by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif introduced 4G services. The minister also identified theft of telecommunications infrastructure as a cause of service disruptions.

According to Khawaja, mobile towers, generators and diesel used to power network equipment had been stolen in some areas, affecting operators' ability to maintain services. Theft and damage to infrastructure can interrupt mobile coverage, particularly in areas where backup power systems are needed to keep networks operating.

Digital growth raises infrastructure questions

The figures presented to the committee underscore Pakistan's dependence on online platforms for communication, entertainment and information. However, the increase in video consumption does not necessarily indicate an equivalent improvement in internet access or service quality across the country.

While millions of Pakistanis use social media and messaging services, lawmakers' complaints suggest that mobile connectivity remains an issue in both cities and rural areas. The expansion of 5G could increase network capacity, but its effectiveness will depend on investment in infrastructure, spectrum availability, fibre optic connections and the maintenance of telecommunications equipment.

The committee's discussions also raised questions about how the PTA monitors service standards and holds operators accountable for persistent network problems. For the government and telecommunications industry, the challenge is to ensure that network investment keeps pace with demand while extending access to areas where users continue to experience disruptions.