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.