The Senate Standing Committee on IT and Telecom has delayed the approval of the Telecommunication Re-organization (Amendment) Bill 2026. The lawmakers recently clashed over the government’s push to pass the legislation hastily. Consequently, the committee postponed the final decision regarding the Telecom Amendment Bill 2026 until tomorrow.
Clashes Over Private Property & Equipment
Senator Afnan Ullah raised major concerns regarding the scope of the bill. Specifically, he argued that the legislation should strictly cover fiberization. Therefore, he demanded the immediate removal of clauses mentioning towers and other telecommunication apparatus. Furthermore, he emphasized the need to review the legal requirements for laying fiber optics across private properties. Passing the bill in its current state, he warned, will inevitably create severe problems for the public.
Meanwhile, the Secretary of IT attempted to address these property concerns. He assured the committee that authorities will not harass any private landowner or party for fiberization without explicit consent. Additionally, he stated that the relevant government bodies will step in to handle any future disputes between parties.
PPP Pushes Back Against Hasty Approval of Telecom Amendment Bill
The meeting also witnessed heated arguments between lawmakers and ministry officials. Senator Sadia Abbasi expressed intense frustration with the IT Ministry’s Member Legal. She openly criticized the official, stating that he was acting “like a Supreme Court judge.”
Furthermore, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) strongly opposed rushing the legislation. Senator Nadeem Bhutto confirmed that the PPP holds significant reservations about the text. Consequently, he insisted that the committee must read the entire document thoroughly before moving forward with any vote.
In contrast, Federal IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja pushed hard for immediate approval. She argued that the government has already conducted extensive consultations on the matter. Moreover, she claimed that all provinces fully agree on the newly proposed Right of Way policies.
Despite the IT Ministry’s pressure, the committee refused to rubber-stamp the document. Ultimately, the Chairperson of the Committee deferred the review. The Senate committee will meet again tomorrow to deliberate further on the bill’s controversial equipment and property clauses.
