Telecom amendment bill will not allow occupation of private land: Shaza Fatima

ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Jul, 2026) Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja on Sunday clarified that the proposed Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organization) (Amendment) bill , 2026 would not allow anyone to occupy private land.

Addressing a press conference alongside Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar, she said the proposed telecom amendment bill sought to amend the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organization) Act, 1996, which she said no longer adequately addressed the requirements of modern digital technologies.

She said the bill was tabled in the National Assembly in January this year and underwent detailed deliberations in the relevant standing committee, where members thoroughly reviewed its provisions.

Following extensive consultations and the development of broad consensus, including amendments proposed by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), the bill was passed by the National Assembly in June.

Shaza Fatima said the legislation was subsequently introduced in the Senate and referred to the relevant standing committee as part of the normal legislative process.

During the committee proceedings, the government explained the intent of the proposed amendments and responded to concerns raised by committee members.

She added that the meeting was later deferred to allow for further discussion and additional input from lawmakers.

The minister said that after public concerns and media discussions emerged regarding the bill, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took notice of the matter and constituted a committee, headed by Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar, to examine the proposed legislation.

Highlighting the rationale behind the proposed amendments, Shaza Fatima said the existing telecommunications law governs Pakistan's digital connectivity, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), the National Telecommunication Corporation (NTC), and the country's telecommunications infrastructure.

She said the law was enacted when 2G technology was in use and was no longer sufficient to meet the demands of modern technologies such as 5G and next-generation digital connectivity.

The minister said Pakistan had witnessed a nearly 25 percent increase in data consumption over the past two years, driven by population growth and the rapid adoption of digital technologies.

She added that spectrum availability had increased from 274 MHz to approximately 750 MHz through the country's largest-ever spectrum auction, while the rollout of next-generation telecommunications infrastructure was also underway.

She said the proposed amendments were intended to equip Pakistan's telecommunications sector to meet future technological requirements and support the country's expanding digital economy.

Shaza Fatima said the proposed telecom amendment bill was aimed at facilitating investment in Pakistan's digital infrastructure, expanding high-speed internet access, and removing regulatory barriers without compromising citizens' fundamental rights.

The minister said the nationwide rollout of modern telecommunications services required extensive infrastructure, including fibre-optic networks, telecom towers, and both underground and overground installations.

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She said that, out of Pakistan's population of around 240 million, only three million households had fibre-based internet connections when the present government assumed office.

Over the past two years, she said, the number of fibre connections had increased to more than five million through various policy and technical interventions.

Shaza Fatima said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had set a target of extending wired broadband internet to at least 10 million households over the next three years.

However, she said the country's existing regulatory framework had not been conducive to attracting the investment needed to achieve that objective.

The minister said the proposed amendments were intended to improve the overall regulatory environment and address long-standing challenges related to the right of way for telecom infrastructure.

She added that all provincial governments had played a constructive role in implementing structural reforms, while the federal government had also introduced measures to encourage greater investment in the sector.

She said ensuring internet access for every household and every child in Pakistan remained one of her ministry's Primary responsibilities and pledged that the government would continue its efforts to improve nationwide digital connectivity.

Referring to allegations made against her and the IT secretary regarding their financial integrity, the minister said she had requested Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to order a formal inquiry into the matter.

The minister said she would fully accept responsibility if any wrongdoing was established through the investigation and would abide by whatever decision the prime minister made.

However, she added that if the allegations were found to be baseless, both she and the IT secretary reserved the legal right to pursue legal action under the Constitution and relevant laws after consulting legal experts.

Speaking on the occasion, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said the allegations of financial benefit against the IT minister and the IT secretary, made under the pretext of the bill, were unfounded.

He added that expanding internet access across the country was the responsibility of the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication in line with the prime minister's vision.

Tarar said the parliamentary committee had found no evidence that the legislation was intended to favour any individual and noted that the National Assembly had passed the bill with six amendments.

The law minister said the legislation primarily addressed issues involving housing societies that entered into agreements but later created obstacles to the development of telecom infrastructure.

He clarified that the consent of property owners would remain mandatory before laying fibre-optic cables through private land.

He emphasized that any citizen who did not wish to allow telecom infrastructure on their private property had the legal right to refuse, reiterating that the proposed law would not result in the forced use or occupation of anyone's private property.