Chairman says he learnt of controversial telecom amendments on social media; Jazz blames infrastructure hurdles and Right of Way delays

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) distanced itself from a controversial bill proposing amendments to the Pakistan Telecommunication Act during a Senate committee meeting on Wednesday, as lawmakers also questioned mobile operators over deteriorating network quality and infrastructure deployment.

Briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat, chaired by Senator Rana Mehmood-ul-Hassan, PTA Chairman disclosed that he first came across the proposed amendments on social media and was unaware of who had introduced the legislation.

“I saw the bill on social media and asked my staff what role the PTA had in it,” the chairman told the committee, effectively distancing the regulator from the controversial legislative proposal.

The PTA chairman also revealed that a company which had secured spectrum in Pakistan’s 5G auction had later sold its telecom towers to other operators, highlighting structural changes in the country’s telecom infrastructure landscape.

Representing Jazz before the committee, Head of Public Policy Mudassir said inadequate telecom infrastructure remained the primary reason behind poor quality of service, arguing that operators could not consistently improve network performance without easier deployment of telecom infrastructure.

He said the Right of Way (RoW) framework was essential for expanding mobile networks and improving service quality, adding that operators continue to face difficulties installing infrastructure, particularly in densely populated commercial areas of Karachi.

Committee members, however, questioned the operators’ explanation, saying consumers continued to suffer despite aggressive marketing campaigns by telecom companies.

Senator Saadia Abbasi strongly criticized the operators, saying mobile companies had spent heavily on advertising while failing to adequately address network quality issues. She also opposed any move that would allow telecom towers to be installed on private properties without the consent of owners.

“No one will be allowed to install telecom towers inside private homes without permission,” she said, adding that private property rights could not be overridden in the name of improving telecom services.

The discussion comes as lawmakers intensify scrutiny of Pakistan’s telecom sector over persistent complaints about call quality, internet performance and delays in expanding digital infrastructure, particularly ahead of the country’s planned commercial rollout of 5G services.