Telecom Bill 2026 – property owner consent made mandatory

Islamabad – A committee constituted on the directions of the Prime Minister to review the Right of Way (RoW) provisions included in the Pakistan Telecommunication Reorganization (Amendment) Bill 2026 has submitted its interim report to the Ministry of Law and Justice. The report contains several key recommendations aimed at safeguarding private property and protecting citizens rights.

According to the Ministry of Law and Justice, the committee conducted a detailed review of the proposed amendments and the existing legal framework governing Right of Way provisions. The report states that the primary objective of the bill is to improve digital connectivity and internet services across the country however, certain legal provisions require further clarification to avoid any ambiguity.

The committee emphasized that the use of private land, buildings, property or any privately owned asset must be subject to the owner’s consent and a mutually agreed arrangement. No action regarding access to or use of land or property owned by any individual or private entity may be taken without the owner’s permission.

The report recommends that the law should clearly specify its applicability to public properties managed by federal, provincial and local governments as well as to organized private residential developments, cooperative housing societies and other similar entities.

The committee also recommended incorporating comprehensive and clear definitions of private land, private property, companies, cooperative societies and various forms of shared ownership into the legislation to prevent future legal disputes or misunderstandings.

According to the report, matters relating to above-ground and underground telecom infrastructure, Right of Way and related equipment should be treated separately with distinct procedures developed for each category.

The committee further recommended that if a dispute arises between a licensed telecom operator and a public authority, residential development or housing society, the matter should be referred to the relevant government which must issue a decision in accordance with the law within 45 days.

Additionally, any party aggrieved by the government’s decision would have the right to appeal before the Telecommunications Appellate Tribunal established under the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organization) Act, 1996 and the tribunal’s decision would be considered final.

The committee also recommended revisiting the overriding clause and the proposed penalties to ensure complete harmony between the objectives of the law, citizens rights and the broader legal framework.

The Ministry of Law and Justice stated that the committee has reached consensus on key policy principles and necessary amendments. In light of its recommendations, the final draft of the amendment bill will be prepared within one week and presented for further consideration.

The ministry reiterated the government’s commitment to promoting the growth of Pakistan’s telecommunications and information technology sectors. However, it stressed that there would be no compromise on the principles of private property rights, ownership rights, the right to object and fair compensation. According to the government, the purpose of the Right of Way reforms is to provide the public with better, faster and more reliable internet services not to undermine citizens constitutional and legal rights.