en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), in collaboration with the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT), convened the South Asian Telecommunication Regulators' Council (SATRC) Working Group on Policy, Regulation, and Services meeting in Islamabad to strengthen regional policy coordination and regulatory cooperation.

The two-day meeting, held from July 1 to 2, brought together representatives from the telecommunications authorities of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iran, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, with officials from the APT Secretariat and local stakeholders also participating in the discussions. This meeting is the first under the tenth phase of the SATRC Action Plan (SAP-X), which was approved during the 26th SATRC meeting hosted by Pakistan in 2025.

Dr. Masanori Kondo, Secretary General of the APT, commended the PTA for hosting the event in a video address and reaffirmed the organization's commitment to fostering regional cooperation, knowledge exchange, and capacity building among member institutions. Dr. Khawar Siddique Khokhar, PTA Member (Compliance & Enforcement) and Chair of the Working Group, noted that the meeting would play a significant role in advancing SAP-X objectives by harmonizing policy and regulatory initiatives across the region.

Major General (R) Hafeez Ur Rehman, HI (M), SI, Chairman of the PTA and Chair of SATRC, welcomed the delegates in his address, describing SATRC as an important regional forum for addressing common challenges in telecommunications and information and communication technology (ICT). He encouraged delegates to share practical experiences on regulatory and operational issues faced by member states, aiming to develop collaborative and effective regional solutions.

The PTA stated that the meeting's agenda primarily included technical reports, discussions on emerging policy and regulatory issues, and the formulation of a specific work plan for SAP-X. The outcomes of the meeting are expected to support closer regional cooperation in telecommunications regulation and harmonize policy approaches among participating countries.