A committee appointed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has proposed major amendments to the controversial Telecom Reorganization Amendment Bill after it faced widespread criticism.
The recommendations aim to make the proposed law more public-friendly while strengthening protections for citizens’ privacy and private property.
The committee was formed to review the bill following public concerns and has already held two meetings to discuss the proposed legislation.
According to sources, the committee has recommended changes to several controversial clauses, including clearer definitions and revisions to provisions that had raised concerns over citizens’ privacy and property rights. The proposed amendments are intended to better protect private property while addressing public concerns.
One of the committee’s key recommendations is that private property should only be used for telecom infrastructure installations with the explicit consent of the property owner. It has also been proposed that compensation for the use of private property should be decided through mutual agreement between the property owner and the telecom company.
The committee has further recommended reviewing provisions related to fiberization and the installation of other telecom infrastructure on private property.
For telecom towers installed on government land, the panel has proposed that the government should receive appropriate compensation while ensuring the protection of the state’s financial interests.
According to sources, the revised draft has been prepared by taking into account the interests of the public, the government, and the telecom sector, with the goal of making the final version acceptable to all stakeholders.
The committee, which includes Minister for Information Technology Shaza Fatima and other members, will review the amended draft prepared by the Ministry of IT and Telecom before submitting its report to the prime minister.
The Telecom Reorganization Bill has faced significant criticism on social media, prompting the government to order a fresh review of the proposed legislation
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