Delays in Pakistan’s Right of Way Policy Hinders Telecom Progress

In recent years, Pakistan’s telecommunications sector has emerged as a crucial driver of economic growth, contributing significantly to the national GDP and employing thousands of skilled workers. However, a persistent challenge threatens to undermine this progress: delays in implementing the Right of Way (RoW) policy. These delays are creating roadblocks in the expansion of vital telecommunications infrastructure across the country.

What is Right of Way (RoW)?

At its core, Right of Way in telecommunications refers to the legal authority granted to telecom companies to install and maintain their infrastructure on public and private properties. Think of it as a permission slip that allows telecom operators to lay fiber-optic cables along roads, install towers on buildings, or set up other necessary equipment to keep our mobile phones and internet connections working smoothly.

Importance of RoW for Telecom Infrastructure

The importance of RoW cannot be overstated in today’s digital age. When you’re frustrated by slow internet speeds in Karachi’s business district or struggling to make a clear phone call in rural Punjab, its due to the poor network service, with the root cause often tracing back to RoW-related challenges. Proper Right of Way (RoW) implementation enables telecom companies to expand their networks efficiently, improve service quality, and ultimately reduce costs for consumers.

Pakistan’s RoW Policy Framework

In 2020, Pakistan took a significant step forward by introducing the Public and Private Right of Way Policy Directive. This policy was designed to be a game-changer, promising to streamline the process through which telecom companies could obtain permissions for infrastructure development. A key feature was the establishment of a One-Window Operation, meant to simplify the application process and reduce bureaucratic hurdles.

Delays in Government Implementation

However, the reality on the ground tells a different story. Take the case of a major telecom operator in Lahore who spent eight months navigating different government departments to obtain permission for laying fiber-optic cables in a commercial area.

Bureaucratic Redundancy: The “One-Window” policy sounds great on paper, but businesses still end up knocking on multiple doors. That telecom operator in Lahore had to make separate trips to different offices, defeating the whole purpose of streamlined processes.

Lack of Inter-Department Coordination: Different government departments often work in silos, barely talking to each other. Instead of sharing information internally, they make businesses do the legwork of carrying documents from one office to another.

Time and Resource Drain: Eight months is a ridiculously long time just to lay some cables, right? When companies have to spend this much time on permissions, it eats into their resources and delays project timelines significantly.

Impact on Business Growth: These delays don’t just frustrate business owners – they have real consequences. The telecom company probably had to push back their service launch date, affecting both their revenue and their customers’ access to better connectivity.

Impact of Implementation Delays on the Telecom Sector

Similar stories echo across Pakistan. In Islamabad, a project to improve 4G coverage in sectors F-6 and F-7 faced significant delays when different authorities provided conflicting interpretations of the RoW policy. The result? Residents continued to experience poor network coverage while the operator struggled with regulatory compliance.

The impact of these delays extends far beyond mere inconvenience. Pakistan’s vision for a Digital Pakistan, including initiatives like expanding e-commerce and promoting tech startups, heavily depends on robust telecommunications infrastructure. When telecom companies face unnecessary delays and increased costs due to RoW issues, it directly affects their ability to invest in network improvements and new technologies.

Case Studies

A notable example occurred in Lahore in 2023, where a major fiber optic expansion project by a leading telecom operator was delayed by 8 months due to conflicting jurisdictions between the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) and the Municipal Corporation. The operator had obtained approval from LDA but was later halted by municipal authorities claiming separate permissions were required, highlighting the bureaucratic complications.

In July 2022, Pakistan Railways decided to reverse the federal cabinet-approved RoW policy for installing fiber-optic cables along its network, highlighting the complexities in policy enforcement across different agencies.

In Islamabad, telecom companies face unique challenges due to the three-tiered approval system involving the Capital Development Authority (CDA), local administration, and cantonment boards. For instance, when installing cellular towers in sectors F-6 and F-7, operators must obtain separate NOCs from both CDA and relevant union councils, often facing contradictory requirements and fee structures.

The situation in Karachi presents even more complex challenges. A recent infrastructure project in District South required approvals from:

– Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC)
– District Municipal Corporation (DMC) South
– Cantonment Board Clifton (CBC)
– Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA)

Each authority demanded different documentation and fee structures, leading to project delays of up to 12 months and significantly increasing deployment costs.

Another illustrative case is from Peshawar, where a telecom provider’s fiber deployment project along GT Road faced multiple stoppages due to overlapping jurisdictions between PDA (Peshawar Development Authority) and district administration. The project costs increased by approximately 40% due to these delays and multiple permission requirements.

Recommendations

1. To address these challenges, several key steps are needed. First, there needs to be better coordination between federal and provincial authorities. The Ministry of IT and Telecommunication should establish a joint working group with representatives from all relevant agencies to ensure consistent policy interpretation and implementation.
2. Telecom operators can also play their part by being more proactive. Jazz, one of Pakistan’s largest telecom operators, has successfully piloted a community engagement program where they work with local authorities and residents early in the planning stage of infrastructure projects. This approach has helped reduce resistance and expedite approvals in several cities.
3. For regulatory bodies like the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), the focus should be on strengthening their oversight role. This could include establishing a dedicated RoW monitoring cell to track implementation progress and address complaints promptly.

Final Take

The path forward requires a collaborative effort from all stakeholders. Government agencies need to honor the spirit of the One-Window Operation, telecom operators must maintain transparency in their infrastructure plans, and regulatory bodies should ensure fair and efficient policy implementation.

As Pakistan moves towards a more digital future, the efficient implementation of the RoW policy becomes increasingly critical. The current delays are not just technical hurdles; they represent missed opportunities for economic growth, job creation, and improved quality of life for millions of Pakistanis.

The solutions are clear, streamline processes, improve coordination, and maintain consistent policy interpretation across all jurisdictions. With these measures in place, Pakistan’s telecom sector can overcome the current challenges and continue its vital role in the country’s development. The question now is not what needs to be done, but how quickly we can implement these necessary changes.