The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication has issued a comprehensive formal clarification on the Pakistan Telecommunication Reorganisation Amendment Bill 2026, currently pending before the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunications after being passed by the National Assembly on June 11, 2026. The clarification addresses widespread public concern that the bill would allow telecom operators to forcibly install towers or fibre cables on private property and impose heavy fines on owners who refuse access, stating directly that the Right of Way provisions in the bill do not permit telecom operators to enter individual private property without the owner’s permission or due legal process, and do not authorise compulsory acquisition of private land.
The ministry stressed that the Right of Way provisions are designed to accelerate telecom infrastructure deployment, improve connectivity for citizens, and establish a transparent legal framework while fully safeguarding private property rights. Property owners retain the right to respond, negotiate terms, seek compensation where applicable, raise objections, and agree matters such as route alignment, timing and access. During the review process, telecom operators cannot force entry onto private land while the matter remains under review.
The bill proposes replacing the existing Section 27A on Right of Way and inserting a new Section 27B on its enforcement. Under the revised Section 27A, when a licensee seeks access to private property, the process begins with a formal request to the owner, lessee, or tenant. If there is no response within 15 days, a mandatory reminder is sent. If there is still no response after 30 days total, the outcome differs by property type. For public-authority-owned property, no response deems approval. For individually privately owned property, the licensee can only refer the dispute to the appropriate government for resolution, not proceed independently. For collectively owned property such as housing societies, cooperative housing schemes, and estate management bodies whether registered or not, non-response is deemed approval, though the owner may still impose conditions on the timing or manner of access.
On compensation, the bill bars any charges, fee, or rent from being demanded for public property. For individual private property, the licensee and the owner may mutually agree on charges or rent, and the matter can be referred to the appropriate government if they fail to agree. For collectively-owned private property such as housing societies, the bill bars any fee, rent, or compensation from being charged at all. The ministry confirmed that in cases of any infrastructure laying, organisations are mandated to return the property to its original condition and ensure no permanent damage is caused.
The new Section 27B creates an enforcement mechanism that did not previously exist. The appropriate government can fine an owner, lessee, tenant, or entity up to Rs 50 million for obstructing or delaying the grant of access rights under Section 27A. Disputes shall be referred to the appropriate government, which would nominate an officer not below the rank of secretary to settle the dispute within a maximum period of 45 days from the complaint. The ministry clarified that any fines mentioned in the bill are related to property owners who have already entered into a contract and thereafter reneged on the contract terms, since this seriously hurts investments. The bill is currently under deliberation in the Senate committee, and the ministry reiterated its support for a consultative and inclusive legislative process while ensuring transparency and the protection of citizens’ rights.
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