Govt to Bring New Telecom Bill After Withdrawing Controversial RoW Legislation

The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication is preparing to introduce a fresh Pakistan Telecommunications (Reorganization) Amendment Bill, 2026, after deciding to withdraw the existing legislation from the Senate in an effort to avoid further procedural delays.

In a statement issued on August 28, the ministry said the current bill was nearing the end of its 90-day constitutional period in the Senate.

Once that period expired, the legislation would have moved to a joint sitting of Parliament, which the ministry said might not be convened in the near future.

To prevent the process from slowing further, MoITT said it had chosen to withdraw the current bill and introduce a fresh version through the regular legislative route.

The ministry said the new bill would retain the core substance and policy intent of the proposed legislation while allowing the process to move forward in a more timely and effective manner.

The development comes after the earlier telecom amendment bill faced criticism and prolonged scrutiny in the Senate, particularly over provisions linked to right-of-way, telecom infrastructure deployment and access to private property.

Lawmakers had raised concerns over how some of the proposed provisions could affect property rights and the process through which telecom operators gain access for fiber, towers, and other infrastructure.

The government’s latest move indicates that it is not abandoning the broader telecom reform agenda. Instead, it is seeking a faster legislative route by restarting the process with a new bill.

The fresh draft could also give the ministry an opportunity to refine contested provisions while preserving the broader objective of creating a more streamlined framework for telecom infrastructure and right-of-way issues.

Pakistan’s telecom sector has long cited inconsistent approval processes, infrastructure permissions, and right-of-way disputes as major barriers to faster fibre and network expansion.

With the previous bill now being withdrawn, attention will shift to the timing and contents of the fresh legislation, which MOITT is expected to bring before Parliament as the next step in its telecom reform agenda.