COLOMBO, June 9 (Xinhua) -- A Sri Lankan parliamentary committee has asked the government not to privatize national telecommunications services provider Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT), citing potential risks to national security.

This proposal was made in a report submitted by the Sectoral Oversight Committee on National Security to parliament on Friday, titled "The effects of the privatization of Sri Lanka Telecom on National Security."

The parliamentary committee said that the SLT is already partially privatized, with international companies currently holding a 44.98-percent stake, while the government retains 49.5 percent of the shares.

It said in the report that further privatization could potentially expose the South Asian country's critical communication infrastructure and sensitive information to private entities whose profit-oriented interests may compromise national security.

Furthermore, the report emphasized that individuals or organizations with a history of involvement in terrorism or extremism in any form should be barred from purchasing shares or exerting control over the nation's assets.

In light of these concerns, the committee proposed the state exercise its right to buy back the shares held by the other major shareholder.

Additionally, the report suggested dividing the SLT into categories such as sensitive and vulnerable areas, with the government retaining control over the sensitive segments.

This approach would safeguard critical infrastructure and ensure compliance with government regulations, the report said. Enditem

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