Pakistan Railways cannot legally offer commercial internet service to passengers, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has told the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology, settling a long-running question over the telecom rights of railway.
In a written report submitted to the committee, PTA said Pakistan Railways operates under a special telecom license that restricts it to institutional and internal communications use.
The license does not extend to public or commercial telecom services, meaning the organization cannot independently sell or offer internet access to the public as a commercial provider.
PTA explained that this restriction stems from broader telecom policy governing government departments. Special licenses issued to state institutions are designed to support their internal operational needs, not to position them as commercial telecom operators competing in the public market.
The report also addressed the current state of internet access on trains.
At present, only three to five trains offer passengers internet connectivity, and this service is delivered through arrangements with cellular operators rather than through any independent commercial offering by Pakistan Railways itself.
To address the gap, PTA proposed a way forward: Pakistan Railways could sign commercial agreements directly with cellular operators to expand Wi-Fi coverage across its train network.
Under such arrangements, Wi-Fi systems installed on trains would connect to the backhaul infrastructure already maintained by telecom companies, effectively allowing Pakistan Railways to offer broader internet access without needing its own commercial telecom license.
The submission of PTA effectively closes the door on any plan for Pakistan Railways to run internet services independently, while leaving open a practical route through third-party partnerships.
The clarification comes as the Senate IT committee continues to examine telecom licensing and public-sector service delivery across state-run institutions.
