Telecom Bill on private land withdrawn

Taking an important decision on the controversial legislation related to private property and telecommunication infrastructure, the government has withdrawn the Pakistan Telecommunication (Reorganisation) Amendment Bill 2026 from the Senate. The government will now present a new draft in the parliament while maintaining the basic purpose of the same law.

According to the Ministry of Information Technology, the withdrawal of the bill is aimed at avoiding delays in the legislative process and expediting the necessary reforms in the telecommunications sector. The ministry has clarified that the new bill will retain the basic spirit of the existing proposal.

The bill reached the Senate after being passed by the National Assembly in June. The relevant Senate Standing Committee had stopped the bill from proceeding, stating that further consideration was needed on the provisions related to private property rights.

According to official records, the bill was sent to the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunications on June 15. The Senate records indicated that the 90-day period of the bill ended on September 12. Rather than waiting for the end of this period, the government has opted to bring a new draft.

The main objective of the original bill was to reduce the right-of-way issues for the installation of telecommunications infrastructure. The government has maintained that the existing laws are not sufficient to meet the needs of modern technology, especially 5G and the rapidly expanding fiber network.

However, private property owners and various stakeholders have raised concerns over some of the provisions of the bill. In particular, the question was raised as to what extent telecom companies would be given the authority to install infrastructure on public and private land.

The government had earlier clarified that the proposed law does not authorise anyone to occupy private land or install telecom towers without the permission of the owner. The ministry had said that the permission of the owner or legal procedure would be necessary for the use of private property.

A committee headed by Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar also reviewed the provisions of the right-of-way. The meeting held on August 17 considered the powers of federal, provincial and local bodies with respect to public, joint development and private property.

In the new draft, the government will try to include more clear safeguards regarding private property. This will try to strike a balance between making it easier for telecom companies to install infrastructure on one hand and protecting the property rights of citizens on the other.

The right-of-way issue is also important for the telecom sector because the installation of fibre optic networks, mobile towers and other infrastructure requires permission from various government agencies, housing societies and other relevant bodies. Delays in the permission process affect the expansion of new networks.

The government says that expanding telecom infrastructure is necessary to promote high-speed internet and modern mobile technology in the country. However, it will be important to consider both the property rights of citizens and the practical needs of telecom companies in the new legislation.