{
  "id": 3933595,
  "title": "Govt withdraws controversial telecom bill, to bring new draft of proposed legislation",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/govt-withdraws-controversial-telecom-bill-to-bring-new-draft-of",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-08-28T09:50:40.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dawn",
    "slug": "dawn",
    "url": "https://www.dawn.com/news/2025749/govt-withdraws-controversial-telecom-bill-to-bring-new-draft-of-proposed-legislation"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Pakistan's government has withdrawn a contentious telecom bill, stating it will introduce a new draft of the proposed legislation. The bill, which sought to grant telecom licensees extensive powers to install infrastructure on both public and private land, was originally proposed by Khawaja and passed by the National Assembly on June 11, 2026. However, objections were raised in the Senate, leading to a motion to withdraw the bill being brought forward by the Minister of State for Interior, Tallal Chaudhry, on behalf of the Information Technology Minister, Shaza Fatima Khawaja. The motion was passed by the Senate as the 90-day passage period was nearing its end. The Ministry of Information Technology explained that the bill would have proceeded to a joint sitting of Parliament, but such a meeting may not occur soon. The government aimed to expedite the legislative process while keeping the core elements of the proposed legislation. The bill's statement of objects and reasons highlighted the need for swift and coordinated deployment of telecommunications infrastructure, particularly for modern technologies like 5G. The withdrawn bill stipulated that no public authority could demand charges, fees, or rent for access, unless a response was provided within 30 days, in which case approval would be deemed granted. For private land, licensees had to obtain approval from owners/tenants through registered mail, with no response within 30 days leading to referral to the appropriate government. The bill also proposed fines of up to Rs50 million for those obstructing access. Critics deemed the clauses \"draconian\" and argued they violated the Constitution's Article 23, which protects property rights. The Islamabad Bar Association and digital rights groups warned the law could lead to forced entry into private premises, while several lawmakers from both opposition and treasury benches raised concerns. The PPP outright refused to support the bill in the Senate. The government's decision to withdraw the bill follows public criticism and media reports, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif forming a committee to examine the legislation. The new draft will retain right-of-way provisions for public infrastructure but require prior consent for private property to remove bottlenecks that have hindered the rollout of fibre and 5G services in Pakistan. Telecom operators had lobbied for the law, citing delays in obtaining no-objection certificates from various authorities.",
  "summary": "ISLAMABAD: The government on Friday withdrew a controversial bill that sought to give telecom licensees sweeping powers to install infrastructure on public and private land , saying it would introduce a new draft of the proposed legislation. The bill, seeking changes to a 1996 act , was originally tabled by Khawaja and approved by the National Assembly on June 11 by a majority vote, a day before…",
  "key_points": [
    "Pakistan government withdraws contentious telecom bill",
    "New draft legislation to be introduced instead",
    "Bill aimed to streamline infrastructure deployment"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Dawn - Pakistan",
        "title": "Govt withdraws controversial telecom bill, to bring new draft of proposed legislation",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/govt-withdraws-controversial-telecom-bill-to-bring-new-draft-of-3934533",
        "published": "2026-08-28T09:50:40.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}