‘Exploitative’ telecom bill deferred (opens original article in a new tab)

The Pakistan Telecommunication (Amendment) Bill 2026 was deferred by the Senate Standing Committee on IT and Telecom amid criticism over provisions allowing telecom companies to use public land without fee and imposing penalties on state agencies, with plans to amend the bill by removing 'towers' to protect public rights

• Senate Standing Committee on IT and Telecom deferred the Pakistan Telecommunication (Amendment) Bill 2026 due to concerns over exploitative provisions
• Clause allowing telecom companies to use public land without fee and imposing Rs50m penalty on state agencies was criticized
• IT Minister and IT Secretary stated amendments aimed to accelerate fibre penetration and expand internet infrastructure
• Senator Palwasha Khan announced plan to delete 'towers' from the bill to protect public rights