Govt withdraws controversial telecom bill, to bring new draft of proposed legislation

The Pakistani government withdrew a controversial bill on Friday, which aimed to grant telecom licensees extensive powers to install infrastructure on public and private land. The bill, known as the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organization) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, was tabled by Khawaja and approved by the National Assembly on June 11.

It was then discussed in the Senate, where objections were raised about its clauses. The bill's introduction was postponed as the 90-day passage period was nearing its end. The government stated that a fresh draft would be introduced in order to expedite the legislative process while preserving the core objectives of the bill. The main concern of the bill was to address the need for "swift and coordinated deployment of telecommunication infrastructure," particularly for modern technologies like 5G.

Critics argued that the bill infringed upon constitutional property rights and could be used to force entry into private properties. Lawmakers from both opposition and supporting parties raised concerns over the bill, with the PPP refusing to back it in the Senate. Despite the backlash, the government decided to introduce a new draft of the proposed legislation to overcome the delays and ensure a timely legislative process.