Disputed telecom bill withdrawn from Senate
ISLAMABAD: The government, Friday, finally withdrew from the Upper House of the Parliament the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organisation) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, a highly contentious legislative draft that allegedly granted blanket rights to telecom entities to use private lands for the installation of telecom infrastructure. Interior State Minister Tallal Chaudhry moved a motion on the last…
The Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organisation) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, a highly debated legislative draft, was finally withdrawn from the Upper House of the Parliament on the last day of the 363rd Senate session. The bill, originally introduced by Information Technology Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja on June 15, aimed to grant telecom entities unrestricted rights to use private lands for infrastructure installation.
This prompted strong public criticism, leading the government to withdraw the bill. The draft sought to align the National Telecommunication Corporation with the State-Owned Enterprises (Governance and Operations) Act, 2023, to enhance governance, transparency, and efficiency. Despite initial government efforts to defend the bill, it was ultimately withdrawn before the session was prorogued on Friday.
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