IT minister stresses proposed telecom bill needed as existing laws insufficient for 5G, other modern tech

Pakistan's Information Technology Minister, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, has underscored the urgent need for proposed amendments to the country's telecommunication laws. She stated that the existing legal framework is inadequate to address the demands of modern technologies such as 5G.

Khawaja explained that the current Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organisation) Act of 1996 was established during the era of 2G technology. "The proposed Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organisation) (Amendment) Bill 2026" aims to update this legislation. The bill received approval from the National Assembly on June 11, but a special committee has recommended significant revisions to its wording due to controversies surrounding several clauses.

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the existing legal framework did not meet the demands of modern technologies such as 5G.

Speaking alongside Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar in Islamabad, Khawaja highlighted that the original law was drafted when 2G was the prevalent technology. This outdated framework, she argued, can no longer sufficiently meet the requirements of contemporary digital advancements. The proposed amendments seek to bridge this gap, ensuring Pakistan's telecommunications sector is equipped for the future.

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the existing telecommunications law was enacted when 2G technology was in use and was no longer sufficient to meet the demands of modern technologies such as 5