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Bill Withdrawn from Senate Amidst Fierce Opposition
The federal government withdrew the controversial Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organization) Amendment Bill 2026 from the Senate on Friday after facing intense opposition over provisions that critics said violated constitutional protections on private property . Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry formally moved the withdrawal on behalf of Information Technology Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja .
The withdrawal came as the bill approached its mandatory 90-day deadline for Senate approval, which would have triggered a requirement for a joint parliamentary session . According to the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, a joint sitting “may not take place in the near future,” prompting the decision to introduce a fresh bill while “retaining the essence of the proposed legislation” .
Controversy Over Property Rights and Access Provisions
The original draft aimed to update the 1996 telecom law to clear right-of-way (ROW) bottlenecks for expanding 5G networks and nationwide fiber-optic cables . Telecom operators had heavily lobbied for the changes, citing prolonged delays in securing NOCs from provincial authorities, cantonment boards, and private housing societies .
However, key provisions sparked intense controversy :
- Deemed Consent: Access requests to public land or private developments would be automatically approved if authorities failed to respond within 30 days .
- Fee Prohibition: The draft banned public authorities and private developments from levying fees or access charges on operators .
- Heavy Penalties: Fines of up to Rs50 million (approximately $179,000) were proposed for entities obstructing infrastructure work .
Legal experts, digital rights groups, and the Islamabad Bar Association condemned the measures, alleging they allowed forced entry onto private premises . Coalition partner PPP had also refused to support the measure, with Senator Sherry Rehman stating the party would not pass legislation containing “draconian clauses” .
New Draft to Include Explicit Consent for Private Property
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered a ministerial review following the backlash . Government officials have indicated that the upcoming draft will retain ROW provisions for public land but will make explicit prior consent mandatory for installations on private property . This addresses the central objection that the original bill could have undermined constitutional property rights under Article 23 .
IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja had previously clarified that the proposed amendments were not intended to allow private land acquisition or unauthorized entry . Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar similarly stated that no citizen could be compelled to allow telecom infrastructure on private property, and that the revised draft would require property owners’ consent . The ministry’s decision to withdraw and restart the legislative process is intended to strike a balance between faster network expansion and protection of property rights .
