Web Desk: A government committee formed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has recommended stronger safeguards for private property rights while reviewing proposed right-of-way provisions in the Pakistan Telecommunication Re-Organisation (Amendment) Bill 2026, according to a report released by the Ministry of Law and Justice.
The committee submitted its interim report after examining concerns that telecom operators could gain excessive access to private properties under the proposed legislation. Officials said the recommendations aim to balance the expansion of digital infrastructure with the protection of citizens’ constitutional and legal rights.
According to the ministry, the committee conducted several meetings and carried out a detailed review of the proposed amendments and the existing legal framework governing right-of-way permissions for telecommunications infrastructure.
The committee concluded that the bill’s primary objective is to improve digital connectivity across Pakistan while safeguarding citizens’ rights. However, it said certain provisions require clearer language to eliminate ambiguity and prevent misinterpretation.
A key recommendation states that property owners’ consent and mutual agreement must remain mandatory before any telecom operator can access or use private land, buildings, assets, or other property.
The report emphasized that no action involving private individuals, companies, or legal entities should proceed without the explicit approval of the owner and a mutually agreed arrangement.
Furthermore, the committee called for clearer legal definitions of private land, private property, companies, cooperative societies and other forms of shared ownership to avoid future disputes.
The committee also recommended that the law explicitly define its application to public institutions and properties owned or managed by federal, provincial and local governments.
In addition, it urged lawmakers to clearly address how the legislation would apply to organized residential developments, cooperative housing societies and similar entities.
Meanwhile, the report proposed maintaining a clear distinction between above-ground and underground telecommunications infrastructure, right-of-way access and related equipment, with separate procedures governing each category.
Under the committee’s recommendations, disputes between licensed telecom operators and public institutions, housing schemes or cooperative societies would be referred to the appropriate government authority.
The relevant government would be required to decide such cases within 45 days in accordance with the law.
To support those decisions, the committee proposed establishing clear guidelines to assess public interest, necessity, proportionality and compensation requirements before approving any proposal.
The report further recommended granting affected parties the right to challenge government decisions before the Telecommunications Appellate Tribunal established under Section 7A of the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-Organization) Act, 1996.
Under the proposal, the tribunal’s ruling would serve as the final decision in such disputes.
In addition, the committee urged a fresh review of the bill’s overriding clause to ensure consistency between the legislation’s language and policy objectives.
It also recommended reassessing penalties proposed under Section 27B(1) to align them with the overall structure and purpose of the legislation.
The Ministry of Law and Justice said committee members had reached consensus on the bill’s broad principles, policy goals and key amendments.
Based on the committee’s recommendations, officials will finalize revised draft amendments within a week before submitting them for further review and government guidance.
The ministry reiterated that the government remains committed to expanding Pakistan’s telecommunications and information technology sectors. However, it stressed that development would proceed alongside full protection of citizens’ constitutional rights, including property ownership, legal safeguards, compensation mechanisms and the right to raise objections.
Officials said the purpose of the right-of-way reforms is to improve access to reliable and high-speed internet services, not to undermine private property rights.
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