Pakistan government withdraws controversial telecom bill, plans new draft

The Pakistani government has pulled back a controversial bill that would have given telecom companies sweeping authority to install infrastructure across public and private land. The decision came Friday in the Senate, where the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organization) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, was withdrawn by the Minister of State for Interior, Tallal Chaudhry, on behalf of the IT Minister.

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Upon expiry of the prescribed period, the bill would have proceeded to a joint sitting of Parliament, the convening of which may not take place in the near future.

The bill, originally introduced to update a 1996 act, had already passed the National Assembly on June 11. However, it encountered significant objections in the Senate. The government cited the approaching expiry of the bill's 90-day passage period as a key reason for its withdrawal. Had the period expired, the bill would have moved to a joint parliamentary sitting, which the Ministry of Information Technology noted might not occur soon.

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In order to avoid delays and expedite the legislative process, the ministry has decided to introduce a fresh bill, ensuring that the legislative process proceeds in a timely and effective manner, while retaining the essence of the proposed legislation.

To ensure a timely and effective legislative process, the ministry announced it would introduce a fresh bill. This new draft aims to retain the essence of the original proposal, which was intended to facilitate the "swift and coordinated deployment of telecommunication infrastructure." Information Technology Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja had previously argued that the existing legal framework was inadequate for modern technologies like 5G.

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swift and coordinated deployment of telecommunication infrastructure

The withdrawn bill included provisions that would have allowed licensees to install infrastructure without charges from public authorities, with approval deemed granted after 30 days of no response. For private land, licensees were to seek owner approval, with matters referred to the government if no response was received. The bill also proposed fines up to Rs50 million for obstructing access. These clauses sparked strong criticism, with opponents labeling them "draconian" and a violation of constitutional property rights.

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