Islamabad: Federal Minister for Law and Justice Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar on Monday chaired a meeting of a committee constituted to review the Right of Way (RoW) provisions in the Pakistan Telecommunication Reorganization (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima, along with senior officials from the ministries of law and information technology, attended the meeting.
The participants held a detailed review of the proposed amendments and the existing legal framework governing the use of Right of Way for the installation of telecommunication infrastructure.
The meeting also examined issues related to the jurisdiction of federal, provincial and local authorities concerning public, jointly developed and privately owned properties.
Various legal aspects, including procedures for obtaining written consent from property owners for the installation of telecommunication infrastructure on private land, compensation mechanisms and other regulatory requirements, were also discussed.
Speaking on the occasion, Senator Tarar said it was essential to maintain an appropriate balance between the expansion of telecommunications infrastructure and the protection of private property rights.
He said the government was committed to promoting digital connectivity while ensuring the protection of citizens’ ownership rights.
The minister stressed the need to remove legal ambiguities related to the Right of Way and develop a clear and effective legal framework.
He emphasized that a transparent, practical and well-defined mechanism was required to regulate the use of Right of Way.
The meeting also reviewed proposals to incorporate emerging technologies into the regulatory framework and discussed measures to define the responsibilities of telecom companies and property owners regarding the protection, maintenance and restoration of properties after the installation of telecommunications infrastructure.
Senator Tarar directed the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication to address potential legal and practical issues in the proposed draft legislation.
The meeting decided that the IT ministry would finalize the proposed legal draft and present it before the committee for further consideration.
