Senator Afnaanullah claims that the Data Protection Bill has advanced significantly. The bill is presently being produced in a joint draft.
The Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of IT was dismissed by the committee during the meeting for supplying inaccurate regulations. The chairperson of the committee said that the Deputy Secretary will be the target of a privilege motion.
As Senator Palwasha Khan pointed out, Federal Minister Shiza Fatima exited the meeting after reading the Deputy Secretary’s inaccurate guidelines. Minister Shiza Fatima was encouraged by the chairwoman to express regret to the committee for the false information.
A briefing on the Virtual Studio project, which has a budget of Rs. 8 billion, was also given to the committee. During the discussion, tensions developed between the chairwoman of the committee and Federal Minister Shiza Fatima. According to Minister Shiza Fatima, the project complied with the regulations set forth by the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PEPRA). Senator Palwasha Khan responded to her inquiry about how one party could be invited to the meeting by saying that they hadn’t invited a particular corporation and that it had happened on its own.
According to Minister Shiza Fatima, if someone was able to attend the committee meeting, then their entire party ought to be let to do so as well. She made it clear that this is not an open forum but rather a parliamentary committee. Any person might join their committee, Senator Palwasha Khan retorted.
According to the federal minister, ministry representatives would give the remaining briefing. According to Ministry of IT officials, three of the four companies who entered the Virtual Studio project’s bidding procedure were technically ineligible. According to them, the one qualifying company ought to have been admitted.
Officials from the Ministry of IT claim that PEPRA regulations permit a project to be given to just one business. All three businesses’ technical bids were examined when the procurement process was reopened. In accordance with PEPRA regulations, the board chose to reopen the bidding procedure.
Technical proposals were accepted during the second phase of bidding, provided that businesses included bids from other countries. The committee chairperson mentioned that during the previous meeting, they had asked for a comparative analysis of the businesses taking part in the auction. Covering 10,000 square feet, this virtual production studio is being constructed for the first time in Pakistan.
Bidders had to provide their age, financial stability, and other documentation, officials said. Each and every bidder accepted these terms and took part in the auction. A comprehensive design for the Virtual Production Studio, including technological specifications for displays, motion capture, and other elements, was requested from the companies.
ICT hardware, furnishings, and other plans were used to evaluate bidders. Three bidders, representing both domestic and foreign businesses, received scores of 44%, 81%, and 91%, respectively. According to officials, the Virtual Production Studio project may bring in $5,000 every day.
While cautioning that project delays could be detrimental to the nation, Senator Afnaanullah stated that he did not observe any misconduct in the process. While officials insisted that all three bidders had the required experience, Anusha Rahman pointed out that the victorious bidder lacked essential Virtual Studio experience.
They claimed that the media sector would undergo a revolution thanks to their effort. Officials explained that once the bids were submitted, they could not be altered. If the procedures were correct, Senator Humayun Mohmand urged the committee to approve the initiative. Ignite was instructed by the committee to carry on developing the Virtual Production Studio.
1️⃣ What happened to the Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of IT?
➡ The Deputy Secretary was dismissed for providing inaccurate regulations and may face a privilege motion.
2️⃣ What is the budget for the Virtual Studio project?
➡ The Virtual Studio project has a budget of Rs. 8 billion and aims to revolutionize the media sector.
3️⃣ Why was the Virtual Studio bidding process reopened?
➡ The bidding was reopened as three out of four companies were technically ineligible, following PEPRA regulations.
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Newson – Senator Highlights Major Breakthroughs in Pakistan’s Data Protection Bill Progress
