Controversial Pakistan Telecommunication Reorganization Amendment Bill 2026 Withdrawn
ISLAMABAD: The federal government has withdrawn the Pakistan Telecommunication Reorganization Amendment Bill 2026 from the Senate, amid concerns and debate over some of its provisions.
During the Senate session, the motion to withdraw the bill was presented by Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry on behalf of Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja.
In a clarification regarding the withdrawal, Shaza Fatima Khawaja said a formal request to withdraw the bill from the Senate had been submitted as its constitutional and legal 90-day period was nearing completion.
She said that had the bill not been withdrawn, it would have been referred to a joint sitting of Parliament under the law. However, there was currently no immediate or confirmed possibility of convening a joint sitting.
The minister said the bill was withdrawn from the Senate to ensure that the legislative process could be completed without delay, in a transparent manner and at a faster pace.
Shaza Fatima assured the nation and relevant stakeholders that the government would incorporate all necessary, modern and fundamental aspects into a new draft and present a better and more comprehensive bill before Parliament soon.
She said the objective was to make the legal process for restructuring the telecommunications sector more effective and robust.
The withdrawn bill had proposed a fine of up to Rs50 million for individuals or entities that refused to provide space or created obstacles for telecommunications companies seeking to install optical fibre or telecommunications towers.
The provision had sparked public and political debate, particularly over concerns regarding private property rights and the severity of the proposed penalties.
As the 90-day legislative period approached its conclusion and the desired outcome could not be achieved, the government formally withdrew the bill from the Senate and announced that a new comprehensive draft would be prepared after reviewing all relevant aspects.
