Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar announced on Sunday that a committee formed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had unanimously agreed to revise the draft of The Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organisation) (Amendment) Bill, explicitly requiring property owner consent before any telecommunications infrastructure can be installed on private land. The committee was established after strong criticism from both government allies and opposition lawmakers over the proposed legislation.
Speaking at a joint press conference in Islamabad alongside Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunications Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Tarar said the revised draft mandates that property owners must give explicit permission before any right-of-way can be granted over private land. He and Khawaja dismissed concerns that the bill would allow occupation of private property, insisting it aims to modernize Pakistan's outdated telecom laws to support next-generation digital technologies.
Need for updated legal framework
Khawaja explained that the existing Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organisation) Act, 1996, was drafted during the 2G era and no longer meets the requirements of 5G and advanced telecommunications technologies. The bill was introduced in the National Assembly in January, underwent scrutiny by the relevant standing committee, and was passed in June after consultations including amendments proposed by the Pakistan Peoples Party. It is now before the Senate standing committee for further deliberations.
Khawaja noted that Pakistan has experienced nearly a 25% increase in data consumption over the past two years due to rapid digital adoption and population growth. Spectrum availability has increased from 274MHz to around 750MHz through the country's largest-ever spectrum auction, and work on next-generation telecommunications infrastructure is progressing.
Investment and expansion goals
The proposed law aims to facilitate investment in digital infrastructure, expand high-speed internet access, and remove regulatory hurdles without compromising citizens' fundamental rights. Khawaja said that only three million households had fibre-based internet connections when the present government assumed office, but the number has risen to more than five million through policy interventions. The prime minister has set a target of extending wired broadband connectivity to at least 10 million households over the next three years.
Tarar said the parliamentary committee found no evidence that the bill was intended to benefit any individual. He added that the National Assembly passed the legislation with six amendments, and property owner consent remains mandatory before fibre-optic cables can be laid through private land. "No citizen can be compelled to allow telecom infrastructure on private property," Tarar reiterated, emphasizing that the legislation would not permit forced use or occupation of privately owned land.
Allegations and inquiries
Khawaja also announced that she had requested the prime minister to order a formal inquiry into allegations regarding her and the IT secretary's financial integrity, saying she would accept responsibility if any wrongdoing is established, but would pursue legal action if the accusations are proven baseless.
