ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has constituted a committee to review the widely criticised the Telecommunication Reorganization (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
The committee will be headed by Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazir Tarar, while the members include Senator Sherry Rehman, Federal Minister for IT Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Cheema, Attorney General Mansoor Awan and experts related to the field of law and IT.
The committee, which has been constituted to address the concerns raised against some of its provisions, will review the Right-of-way Framework in Section 2(qb), 2(ma), Section 27A and 27B of the Telecommunication Reorganisation (Amendment Bill, 2026.
The Telecommunication Reorganisation Amendment Bill containing highly controversial clauses was passed by the National Assembly on the 11th of this month.
The committee will review the right-of-way for the establishment of telecommunication facilities and deliberate upon the operations related to the domain of private property and housing societies before submitting its recommendations.The prime minister directed the committee to review the bill on priority basis and submit its proposals.
Meanwhile, the Tehreek Tahaffuz Aiyeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP) Sunday called on prime minister to immediately remove IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja over the draconian telecom legislation and form a probe body, with members from the opposition also to look into the matter.According to the opposition alliance Spokesman Akhunzada Hussain, the TTAP leadership has taken serious notice of the recently introduced telecommunication bill initiated by Minister for IT. He noted this bill was presented in the Senate for final approval since it had already been passed by the cabinet and the National Assembly.
The opposition leadership contended that the bill would have been passed by the Senate but the House Standing Committee chairperson timely intervened and objected to this anti-people proposed legislation.The opposition alliance explained that in summary this bill, if approved, would have meant: Telecommunication companies would have been legally allowed to install towers on private properties anywhere in Pakistan.
The private owner of the property will have no right to object to this process and in case the property owner refuses to comply with such an atrocious order, the owner will be punished with a fine of Rs40 million regardless of the value of the property.
“We oppose this proposed draconian law, as it breaches the fundamental right of the citizen as envisaged in the Constitution, restricts constitutional property rights and encroaches upon the privacy of a citizen,” the opposition leadership emphasised.
They also pointed out that the bill was initiated and passed by the National Assembly without any meaningful consultation required for such an important legislation, whereas in recent TV interviews, the IT minister has accepted the blunder of proceeding without proper scrutiny of the bill. “It clearly demonstrates the incompetence, unprofessionalism and total indifference given to matters directly affecting the people of Pakistan. Moreover it again shows how important bills are brought in the assembly by the ruling PMLN,” they maintained.
It was also underlined that some journalists have also raised concerns of corruption involved in this whole matter as this is too serious an issue to be ignored.
“TTAP, therefore, demands that the PM should immediately remove the IT minister. The PM has set up an inquiry committee to review the proposed legislation which in itself is an acknowledgment of the poor legislation. However, the committee consists of only government representatives. In order to ensure impartiality, the committee should include members from the opposition as well,” they insisted.
