The federal government is making a fresh attempt to address concerns over the controversial Telecom Reorganization Amendment Bill, with a high-level review committee expected to submit its recommendations to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters at Parliament House, Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima said the committee, led by the law minister, has been examining legal and technical objections raised by stakeholders. Its recommendations will now be presented to the prime minister for consideration.

Responding to criticism over the proposed legislation, the minister rejected claims that the bill was rushed through Parliament. She said the amendments remained under discussion in the National Assembly for six months and were also reviewed by the Senate Standing Committee as part of a broader consultative process.

Shaza Fatima reiterated the government’s commitment to launching 5G services as soon as possible, emphasizing that expanding the country’s fiber-optic network is critical for the rollout of next-generation mobile services. She said 5G alone would not improve internet quality unless sufficient fiber infrastructure is in place.

The minister added that the government wants to strengthen investor confidence in Pakistan’s telecom sector to encourage long-term infrastructure investment and support advanced technologies. However, she maintained that the proposed amendments would not undermine constitutional rights, privacy safeguards, or private property protections.

According to Shaza Fatima, the review committee includes legal experts, including Barrister Zafarullah, independent members, and representatives from the telecom industry. The panel has been tasked with resolving contentious issues before submitting its final recommendations to the prime minister.