Some laws are badly made. Some are vaguely worded. Yet some are so astonishingly, preposterously absurd that they break all notions of logic, legality and morality. The proposed amendment to the Pakistan Telecommunication Bill belongs in that category.
Amendment Details
The amendment, moved by the Minister for Science and Technology, would allow private companies extraordinary authority over land that does not belong to them. If they wish to set up equipment, whether a tower, transformer or related infrastructure, they would not have to wait for the clear approval of the person whose land is being used. A letter, a deadline and silence could be enough. If the citizen resists, the punishment may run into millions of rupees.
Historical Context
This is the sort of kingly law one associates with the age of absolute monarchs, where the business of the kingdom could crush the peasant because power said so. That such thinking should appear in modern legislation is astonishing. The audacity is matched only by the disregard for the ordinary citizen’s rights.
Property Rights Under Threat
Property is not a minor matter. For many Pakistanis, land is the result of a lifetime of work, inheritance and sacrifice. To allow a private company to place its structures on that land without proper consent is state-backed thuggery. To then penalise the owner for resisting makes the matter even more offensive.
Need for Infrastructure vs. Rights
No one denies that Pakistan needs better telecommunications infrastructure. But progress cannot be built by trampling over citizens. It must be pursued through lawful procedure, fair compensation, negotiation and consent. The most troubling part is that this power is not being reserved for some rare emergency of the state. It is being granted to private companies, whose first obligation will always be to their own commercial interest. To place the rights of citizens at the altar of profit motive is cruel and dangerous.
Call for Withdrawal
This amendment goes against all standards of decency and legality. It should not be amended at the edges or softened through explanation. It must be withdrawn immediately.
