Disputed telecom bill withdrawn from Senate

ISLAMABAD: The government, Friday, finally withdrew from the Upper House of the Parliament the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organisation) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, a highly contentious legislative draft that allegedly granted blanket rights to telecom entities to use private lands for the installation of telecom infrastructure. Interior State Minister Tallal Chaudhry moved a motion on the last day of the 363rd Senate session, on behalf of Information Technology Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja, for the bill’s withdrawal. Khawaja was not present at the session. Following the motion’s passage by the House, the bill stood withdrawn. READ MORE: Govt to withdraw controversial telecom bill On June 15 this year, the information technology minister presented this bill in the Senate. The bill sought to empower the government to impose a fine up to 50 million rupees on “any owner, lessee, tenant or entity that obstructs or delays the grant of rights” to a telecommunication system licensee. The bill was referred to the relevant standing committee. Before that, the National Assembly had already passed this bill. The Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organisation) (Amendment) Bill, 2026 sought to amend the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organisation) Act, 1996 with the insertion of Section 27B which provided that the “appropriate government may impose a fine up to fifty million rupees on any owner, lessee, tenant or entity that obstructs or delays the grant of right” to a telecommunication system licensee. The Statement of Objects and Reasons of this bill provided that the bill sought to bring the National Telecommunication Corporation in conformity with the State-Owned Enterprises (Governance and Operations) Act, 2023 in order to improve its governance structure, operational transparency and efficiency in line with applicable laws governing the state-owned enterprises. After strong public criticism over this bill, the government had first tried to defend this bill, but later announced to review it—this legislative draft was finally withdrawn from the Senate before the session was prorogued on Friday. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026

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