After Israel remote explosion in Lebanon, Pakistan’s on standby

Due to the recent remote explosion in Lebanon by Israel, Pakistan is on standby.  On Wednesday, in response to the recent remote explosion in Lebanon where Israel detonated batteries of wireless devices (handheld communication devices), the Senate Standing Committee for Science and Technology imposed that the federal government present an extensive report on mobile phone testing protocols in the next session. 

After the news of remote explosion by Israel, Sen. Kamil Ali Agha, the chairman of the committee, and other senators voiced their concerns about Pakistan potentially facing comparable risks in light of the nation’s growing imports of uncontrolled mobile phones.

The chairman wanted assurances from the Ministry of Science & Technology regarding the safety of the gadgets available in the country and questioned whether Pakistan had sufficient capabilities for testing mobile phones. The chairman deplored that these were not cell phones but rather explosives that we carried near to our chests.

The committee also had a brief discussion about indigenous cement production in addition to cell phones. The industry owes billions of rupees, Senator Shibli Faraz told the session, and she suggested the Supreme Court or perhaps the Public Accounts Committee take up the issue if necessary. 

At the next meeting, the committee requested that representatives from the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) submit comprehensive documentation regarding the outstanding amounts. Despite a 10% increase in revenue this year, the PSQCA was grilled by the chairman committee for poor oversight and lack of advancement.

The committee also heard about the Right-Sizing Committee’s evaluation of the Ministry of Science and Technology and its potential for significant reorganization.