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    • IT & Telecommunication

    Telenor Pakistan formally amalgamates into PTML following statutory approvals
    IT & Telecommunication

    Telenor Pakistan formally amalgamates into PTML following statutory approvals

    Telenor Pakistan will formally amalgamate into Pak Telecom Mobile Limited PTML (Ufone 5G) with effect from July 2026, marking the completion of one of the most significant transactions in the country’s telecommunications history. The amalgamation follows the receipt of the…

    Posted on Qaswar Abbas Zarkani
    # **Pakistan revises controversial Telecom Amendment Bill after Senate objections** **ISLAMABAD:** The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication has begun revising the draft **Telecom Amendment Bill 2026** following recommendations from a committee constituted by the prime minister, officials familiar with the matter said. The ministry is preparing amendments to the proposed legislation after members of the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology raised strong objections to several provisions, particularly those relating to access to private property for telecommunications infrastructure. The bill failed to secure the committee's approval after lawmakers expressed concerns over clauses they said lacked clarity and could affect private property rights. According to sources, the prime minister's committee reviewed the contentious "Right of Way" provisions and submitted its recommendations to the government. The panel proposed that access to or use of private property should only be permitted with the owner's consent and through a mutually agreed arrangement. The committee also recommended clearer legal provisions governing public and private property, right-of-way permissions, compensation mechanisms and the procedure for appeals to remove ambiguities in the proposed law. Officials said the IT ministry is incorporating these recommendations into a revised draft, which will be presented again before the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology for consideration. If approved by the Senate, the amended Telecom Amendment Bill will be sent back to the National Assembly for final legislative approval. The proposed legislation had also drawn widespread criticism on social media, with legal experts, industry stakeholders and citizens raising concerns over provisions related to private property rights. Officials said the latest revisions are aimed at addressing legal ambiguities and public concerns while ensuring the legislation provides a clearer regulatory framework for the expansion of telecommunications infrastructure in Pakistan.
    IT & Telecommunication

    Pakistan revises controversial Telecom Amendment Bill after Senate objections

    ISLAMABAD The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication has begun revising the draft Telecom Amendment Bill 2026 following recommendations from a committee constituted by the prime minister, officials familiar with the matter said. The ministry is preparing amendments to the…

    Posted on Qaswar Abbas Zarkani
    PTA Opens Door to Virtual Mobile Operators in Major Telecom Market Reform
    IT & Telecommunication

    PTA Opens Door to Virtual Mobile Operators in Major Telecom Market Reform

    ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has formally launched Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) licensing, opening the door for new telecom players to enter the market and offer mobile services under their own brands without building independent network infrastructure. Following approval of the MVNO…

    Posted on Qaswar Abbas Zarkani
    Ufone's service in Karachi is 'extremely poor'NA committee meeting
    IT & Telecommunication

    PTA Opens MVNO Licensing, Paving Way for New Mobile Service Providers in Pakistan

    ISLAMABAD Pakistan has formally opened its telecommunications market to Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs), with the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) inviting applications for new licenses aimed at boosting competition, innovation and consumer choice. The move follows the federal cabinet’s approval…

    Posted on Qaswar Abbas Zarkani
    Government Defends Telecom Bill, Promises Changes to Address Legal Concerns
    IT & Telecommunication

    Government Defends Telecom Bill, Promises Changes to Address Legal Concerns

    ISLAMABAD Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima has defended the controversial Telecommunications Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, saying the legislation was introduced through a democratic process and would be refined to address legal and technical concerns raised by lawmakers…

    Posted on Qaswar Abbas Zarkani
    PM’s Committee Proposes Major Changes to Controversial Telecom Bill
    IT & Telecommunication

    PM’s Committee Proposes Major Changes to Controversial Telecom Bill

    ISLAMABAD: A high-level committee constituted by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has proposed significant amendments to the controversial Telecommunications Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, aiming to address concerns over private property rights and make the legislation more acceptable to stakeholders, sources told Pakistan…

    Posted on Qaswar Abbas Zarkani
    # **Pakistan revises controversial Telecom Amendment Bill after Senate objections** **ISLAMABAD:** The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication has begun revising the draft **Telecom Amendment Bill 2026** following recommendations from a committee constituted by the prime minister, officials familiar with the matter said. The ministry is preparing amendments to the proposed legislation after members of the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology raised strong objections to several provisions, particularly those relating to access to private property for telecommunications infrastructure. The bill failed to secure the committee's approval after lawmakers expressed concerns over clauses they said lacked clarity and could affect private property rights. According to sources, the prime minister's committee reviewed the contentious "Right of Way" provisions and submitted its recommendations to the government. The panel proposed that access to or use of private property should only be permitted with the owner's consent and through a mutually agreed arrangement. The committee also recommended clearer legal provisions governing public and private property, right-of-way permissions, compensation mechanisms and the procedure for appeals to remove ambiguities in the proposed law. Officials said the IT ministry is incorporating these recommendations into a revised draft, which will be presented again before the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology for consideration. If approved by the Senate, the amended Telecom Amendment Bill will be sent back to the National Assembly for final legislative approval. The proposed legislation had also drawn widespread criticism on social media, with legal experts, industry stakeholders and citizens raising concerns over provisions related to private property rights. Officials said the latest revisions are aimed at addressing legal ambiguities and public concerns while ensuring the legislation provides a clearer regulatory framework for the expansion of telecommunications infrastructure in Pakistan.
    IT & Telecommunication

    Senate IT Committee Orders Public Hearings on Controversial Telecom Bill

    ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology has decided to hold open public hearings on the controversial Pakistan Telecommunication Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, as concerns mount over its potential impact on private property rights and constitutional protections. Speaking to the…

    Posted on Qaswar Abbas Zarkani