The government has decided to withdraw the Pakistan Telecommunication (Reorganization) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, after concluding that the proposed changes failed to achieve their intended objectives, particularly in addressing long-standing Right of Way issues faced by the telecom sector.

Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja is expected to seek the Senate’s approval to withdraw the bill under Rule 115. The bill was introduced in the Senate on June 15, 2026.

The proposed legislation sought to overhaul the Right of Way framework under the Pakistan Telecommunication (Reorganization) Act, 1996, by establishing separate mechanisms for independent private property, common development property and public property.

A major point of contention involved telecom licensees seeking Right of Way across independent private property. The proposed rules required operators to obtain written consent from property owners and agree on the terms before using the property. If no agreement was reached, the licensee would not have been allowed to exercise the Right of Way.

For common development and public property, the bill proposed time-bound procedures for approvals. Property managers and public authorities would have 30 days to respond, after which unresolved cases could be referred to the government for a decision within 45 days.

The proposed amendments also included provisions for free underground Right of Way on common development and public property, while certain temporary and specified telecom installations could have been exempt from fees under federal government rules. The bill also sought to prevent unreasonable interference after Right of Way had been lawfully granted.

The legislation included enforcement measures for deliberate obstruction of telecom operators, while disputes would have been handled by a designated district officer within 45 days, with an appeal available before the relevant tribunal.

The government later reviewed the proposed amendments and concluded that the bill in its existing form was not delivering the required policy and regulatory outcomes. The decision to withdraw it is significant for telecom operators, as Right of Way remains a major obstacle to the deployment of fiber, mobile infrastructure, small cells and other digital connectivity networks.