Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar has publicly clarified that no installation of telecom infrastructure can be carried out on private property without the explicit consent of the property owner, addressing one of the central concerns that has driven public and parliamentary opposition to the Pakistan Telecommunication Amendment Bill over the past several weeks.
Addressing a press conference, the minister said allegations that the proposed legislation was designed to favour any particular telecom company were baseless and without foundation. He emphasised that the fundamental right to private property ownership faces no threat under the bill as drafted, stating that courts would have already identified and addressed any ambiguity in the legislation had such ambiguity actually existed. He also reminded critics that the legislative process remains ongoing and the bill has not yet been passed into law, meaning the parliamentary process still has scope to address any remaining concerns through committee deliberations and proposed amendments before any final vote takes place.
Tarar framed the broader legislative intent around Pakistan’s digital economy ambitions, saying the country is moving toward a digital economy in which connectivity is essential for educational purposes, freelancing, and economic participation. The minister’s remarks align with the amended approach recommended by the Prime Minister’s review committee, which proposed that private property should only be used for telecom infrastructure installations with the explicit consent of the property owner, and that compensation should be determined through mutual agreement between landowners and telecom companies rather than through an enforcement-first framework.
The clarification from the Law Minister represents the most senior-level direct government response to the property rights controversy that has surrounded the bill since public attention focused on its Section 27B provisions, which proposed fines of up to Rs. 50 million for property owners or institutions refusing telecom companies right-of-way access. With the Senate Standing Committee having already deferred the bill pending clause-by-clause review and the Prime Minister having established a separate inquiry committee to examine the legislation, the Law Minister’s intervention signals that the government is making a coordinated effort to reassure citizens that their constitutional property rights remain protected as the bill moves toward a revised final form.
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