The federal government has proposed granting telecom companies the authority to install towers and fibre cables on private property, a clause that has triggered strong objections from the Senate Standing Committee on IT and Telecom during its review of the Pakistan Telecommunication Reorganisation Amendment Bill 2026.
The bill, introduced by Federal Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja, had already been passed by the National Assembly before being presented in the Senate, where it was referred to the standing committee for detailed clause-by-clause examination. A newly introduced provision, Section 27B, proposes fines of up to Rs. 50 million on any property owner, tenant, landlord, or institution that refuses telecom companies right-of-way access, with the clause allowing penalties against anyone who denies, delays, or obstructs the installation of internet fibre cables, mobile towers, or related telecommunications equipment on their property. The provision drew immediate public attention after a widely circulated social media post characterised the clause as allowing telecom companies to clear private property, homes, shops, or plots on 30 days’ notice and install towers or machinery, with a Rs. 50 million penalty for refusal.
During a committee meeting chaired by Senator Palwasha Khan, members raised strong concerns about the clause’s language and its implications for property rights. Senators Afnan Ullah and Sadia Abbasi specifically questioned the provision, with members expressing concern that the bill could allow telecom companies to access private properties on short notice while exposing citizens to substantial fines if they refused such requests. Senators argued that no Pakistani citizen should be compelled to permit telecom infrastructure on their private property without clear legal protections and a transparent mutual-consent mechanism governing how such access is negotiated and granted.
Senior officials from the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication sought to clarify the intent behind the provision, stating that the bill did not aim to forcibly acquire private land or property for telecommunications infrastructure. Officials assured committee members that tower and fibre installations would proceed under existing laws and through mutual agreements, explaining that the bill’s primary purpose was to accelerate 5G infrastructure deployment, increase internet speeds, fast-track the fiberisation of mobile towers, and resolve right-of-way disputes between federal and provincial government departments. Despite these assurances, the Senate Standing Committee deferred approval of the bill until its next session, directing a clause-by-clause review aimed at replacing ambiguous language and strengthening protections for private property owners before the legislation can proceed further.
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