PM-constituted panel proposes telecom bill changes to protect property rights, require owner consent

• Review launched after concerns over controversial ‘Right of Way’ provisions

• Committee says no access to private property without consent, mutual agreement

• Draft amendments aim to remove ambiguity from telecom legislation

• Government says telecom growth must not compromise citizens’ constitutional rights

ISLAMABAD: A high-level committee constituted by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has recommended key changes to the proposed telecommunications law to ensure the protection of constitutional property rights, including a requirement for explicit owner consent before any access to private property for telecommunications infrastructure.

The recommendations were made following objections raised by lawmakers and public concerns that certain provisions of the Pakistan Telecommunication Reorganization (Amendment) Bill, 2026, could undermine constitutional protections for private property rights.

The committee recommended amendments to the proposed legislation to make owner consent and mutual agreement mandatory for access to private property. The review was initiated to address widespread concerns over controversial "Right of Way" (RoW) and infrastructure-related provisions of the bill and to ensure adequate safeguards for property owners.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had constituted the committee to urgently review the contentious clauses after concerns emerged that the draft legislation could allow telecommunications companies to access private property and housing societies without the explicit consent of owners.

The committee has now submitted its interim report to the government, recommending that owner consent and mutually agreed arrangements remain fundamental requirements in all matters relating to private property. It also proposed a series of drafting changes aimed at removing ambiguity from the legislation.

“No action concerning access to or use of the land, building, property, or assets of any private individual or private legal entity shall be undertaken without the owner’s consent and a mutually agreed arrangement,” the committee stated in its report, according to the Ministry of Law and Justice.

The committee was formed after lawmakers objected to provisions in the Pakistan Telecommunication Reorganization (Amendment) Bill, 2026, arguing that they could allow telecom companies to gain access to private property without an owner’s explicit approval.

Critics had particularly highlighted a clause under which a property owner’s failure to respond to two official notices would be treated as “implied consent” for the installation of telecommunications infrastructure. The concerns prompted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to suspend parliamentary consideration of the bill and order a comprehensive review.

The committee further recommended that the scope of the legislation be expressly clarified to apply to land, buildings, properties and assets owned or administered by public bodies, the federal, provincial and local governments, as well as regulated private residential schemes, cooperative housing societies and other similar entities.

It also called for clear legal definitions of private land, private property, private persons, companies, cooperative societies and other forms of joint ownership arrangements “to avoid any misunderstanding at any level.”

In addition, the committee recommended a clear distinction between above-ground and underground telecommunications infrastructure, with separate legal procedures and requirements for each category.

According to the Ministry of Law and Justice, the committee reached consensus on the bill’s broader principles and policy objectives. A draft of the proposed amendments is expected to be finalized within a week for further consideration.

“The Government is committed to the development of the telecommunications and information technology sectors,” the ministry said. “However, such development shall proceed with full protection of the constitutional and legal rights of citizens.”