Telecommunications Amendment Bill Halted Over Concerns, Says Senator Palwasha Khan
ISLAMABAD: Senator Palwasha Khan has said that the Telecommunications Amendment Bill has been stopped from moving forward after concerns emerged regarding its contents, claiming that the objective for which lawmakers were initially asked to approve the bill was not achieved.
Speaking during a television talk show, Senator Khan stated that the bill is currently before her standing committee and has not been allowed to pass. She said the legislation has now become controversial and will be reviewed in line with Pakistan’s national interests.
The discussion followed remarks by Minister for Information Technology Shaza Fatima, who reportedly said in a television interview that consultations had been held with senior politician Naved Qamar. However, concerns were raised that amendments proposed by lawmakers were not incorporated into the final version of the bill passed by the National Assembly.
Commenting on the issue, analyst and anchorperson Rauf Klasra questioned how lawmakers could have missed changes made to the bill during the clause-by-clause approval process. In response, Senator Khan suggested that there may have been an oversight and said she would obtain a copy of the legislation for a detailed review.
She further revealed that lawmakers had initially been instructed to support the bill through normal parliamentary procedures. However, after being given two days to study the draft, she found what she described as “dangerous provisions” and contacted PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. According to Khan, the party leadership responded immediately and supported further scrutiny of the legislation.
Addressing questions about whether opposition from some senators was the result of political pressure, Khan dismissed the suggestion, saying concerns were raised openly and independently. She added that the bill had been halted before approval and would now undergo closer examination.
The Telecommunications Amendment Bill remains under review as lawmakers debate its implications and seek consensus on its final form.
