‘Exploitative’ telecom bill deferred

ISLAMABAD: The much-touted bill aimed at advancing fibreisation across the country has run into trouble after the Senate Standing Committee on IT and Telecom deferred it, while criticism on social media has targeted the IT minister and sections of the telecom sector over what critics describe as an ‘exploitative law’. Concerns about the intentions behind the Pakistan Telecommunication (Amendment) Bill 2026 have intensified due to the timing of the government’s attempt to secure its passage through both houses of parliament. The bill was approved by the National Assembly on June 11, a day before the presentation of the federal budget 2026-27, and was presented in the Senate on June 15. Following objections from PTI senators, who demanded that the proposed legislation be referred to the relevant standing committee, Senate Standing Committee on IT and Telecom Chairperson Senator Palwasha Khan convened a meeting the next day, June 16. Lawmakers reject clause letting telcos use public land without fee; flag Rs50m penalty on state agencies Sherry Rehman assured the house that the bill would be returned by the committee within two days. No PTI senator attended the meeting, while PPP’s senator Nadeem Ahmed Bhutto and PML-N senators Dr Afnan Ullah Khan and Sadia Abbasi were present. IT Minister Shaza Fatima and IT Secretary Zarar Khan told the committee that the amendments were intended to accelerate fibre penetration and support the expansion of internet infrastructure across the country. However, after deliberations, senators from the PPP and PML-N deferred the measure, questioning why “telco towers and related equipment” had been included when the proposal primarily concerned the right of way (ROW) for fibreisation. Talking to Dawn, Senator Palwasha Khan said the amendment would allow telcos to install towers on public land free of charge. She said that if a land-owning agency disallowed a company from erecting a telco tower in a public park or green belt, it could face a