Overview
- A prime‑ministerial review committee unanimously revised the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re‑organisation) (Amendment) Bill and presented the changes at a joint press conference on Sunday, making owner consent a precondition for any right‑of‑way on private land.
- The revised draft tightens definitions of key terms such as right‑of‑way, above‑ground and underground infrastructure, and the placement of telecom equipment to remove previous ambiguity in the text.
- Ministers said the amended bill will return to the Senate Standing Committee for further parliamentary scrutiny and that a formal inquiry may be ordered to examine allegations that the legislation was prepared to favour specific companies or individuals.
- The law now lets owners refuse access and requires operators to seek agreement or approach the relevant authority if negotiations fail, and it makes agreements binding so neither party can unilaterally withdraw once consideration is exchanged.
- The government frames the reform as part of a push to modernise a law from the 1990s, expand fibre and 5G after a major spectrum auction, and raise fibre‑to‑home connections from under three million toward a 10 million target over three years.