Deferral and criticism

The Pakistan Telecommunication (Amendment) Bill 2026, aimed at boosting fibreisation and telecom infrastructure, has hit a roadblock in the Senate. The Senate Standing Committee on IT and Telecommunication deferred the bill after deliberations, following criticism from senators and opposition parties over provisions they argue could infringe on property rights and allow telecom companies to use public land without fees.

The bill was approved by the National Assembly on June 11, a day before the presentation of the federal budget 2026-27, and was presented in the Senate on June 15. It was referred to the standing committee, which met on June 16. Senators from the PPP and PML-N deferred the measure, questioning why telecom towers and related equipment had been included when the proposal primarily concerned right of way for fibreisation, as reported by Dawn.

Senate Standing Committee on IT and Telecom Chairperson Senator Palwasha Khan told Dawn that the amendment would allow telecom companies to install towers on public land free of charge. She said that if a land-owning agency disallowed a company from erecting a tower in a public park or green belt, it could face penalties.

Key claims

  • The bill was approved by the National Assembly on June 11 and presented in the Senate on June 15, where it was referred to the standing committee.
  • Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif formed a committee to review the bill and submit recommendations.
  • There are around 50,000 telecom towers in Pakistan, with about 26,000 owned by Ufone/Telenor and Zong.
  • Senator Palwasha Khan said the amendment would permit telecom operators to install towers on public land without charge.
  • The opposition alliance TTAP alleged the bill would enable telecom operators to install towers on private property without the owner's permission, a claim the IT ministry denies.

Opposition demands and allegations

The opposition alliance Tehreek-i-Tahafuz-i-Ayin-i-Pakistan (TTAP) has demanded the removal of Minister of IT and Telecom Shaza Fatima Khawaja over the bill. TTAP spokesperson Akhunzada Hussain Ahmad Yousufzai said the bill was stopped due to the "timely intervention" of the Senate committee chairperson, who objected to the "anti-people legislation." He alleged that the bill would have allowed telecom operators to legally install cellphone towers on private properties anywhere in Pakistan, with property owners having no right to object. He claimed owners who refused to comply could face a fine of Rs50 million regardless of the property's value.

"We oppose this draconian law as it breaches the fundamental right of the citizen as envisaged in our constitution. It restricts constitutional property rights and it encroaches upon the privacy of a citizen," Yousufzai said. He also claimed the bill was initiated and passed by the National Assembly without meaningful consultation.

Government and ministry response

The Ministry of IT and Telecom has issued a clarification, stating that the bill does not permit telecom operators to enter private property without the owner's permission or authorise compulsory acquisition of private land. The ministry said the Right of Way (ROW) provisions are designed to accelerate telecom infrastructure deployment, improve connectivity, and establish a transparent legal framework while safeguarding private property rights.

The ministry noted that the 5G spectrum auction makes investment in infrastructure imperative for reliable, affordable, high-speed connectivity. It said property owners retain the right to respond, negotiate terms, seek compensation where applicable, raise objections, and agree on matters such as route alignment, timing, and access. When a property owner does not respond despite reminders, the matter would be referred to the appropriate government authority, and telecom operators cannot force entry while the matter is under review.

Political reactions

PPP Vice President Senator Sherry Rehman said the party would not support any such legislation in the Senate unless it was "thoroughly discussed threadbare" in the standing committee and the party's proposed deletions were ensured in the final bill. In a post on X, she said the PPP in the Senate would not pass any IT/PTA/RWA legislation that is not thoroughly discussed, and that the bill transmitted by the National Assembly was stopped in the Senate because it still contained "draconian clauses" they had repeatedly asked to be removed, especially clause 27-A, which deals with telecom operators and acquisition of private land.

"Our NA members were told these [had] been removed when the bill was moved there. Some other unacceptable clauses were removed but all were still not deleted when the bill was transmitted to us in the upper House, which is why we insisted on sending it to the standing committee in the Senate," she added.

The bill remains pending before the standing committee, and the prime minister's review committee has yet to submit its recommendations.