Islamabad: The federal government, seeking to defuse the controversy over the Pakistan Telecommunication Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, has clarified that there is no intention to seize any private property or install telecom towers without the permission of the owners.
Federal Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar, while talking to the media after an in-camera meeting of a parliamentary committee formed by the Prime Minister on Tuesday, said that the proposed law aims to promote the development of digital connectivity and telecommunication infrastructure in the country and not to affect the property rights of citizens.
He said that no telecom activity can be carried out on private land or buildings without the approval of the concerned owner. He said that the objections raised by the Senate Standing Committee on IT and Telecom are being examined in detail, and a subcommittee has also been formed for this purpose.
The controversy came to light when the Senate Standing Committee raised objections to some provisions of the bill passed by the National Assembly. In particular, reservations were expressed on such provisions under which it was proposed to facilitate the installation of telecom towers in public places, including parks, green belts and government buildings.
The Law Minister said that some reports in the media had made the issue unnecessarily controversial, but the government was ready to add more clarifications to the law to remove all concerns. According to him, the proposed amendments will include safeguards that ensure full protection of the rights of property owners.
The meeting was attended by IT minister Shaza Fatima, attorney general, economic affairs minister, IT secretary and other legal experts. The objective of the committee is to ensure balanced legislation by keeping in mind the recommendations of the Senate and the concerns of the industry.
On the other hand, representatives of the telecom sector have also taken the position that the current debate is pushing the real purpose of the proposed reforms into the background. According to Aamir Ibrahim, chairman of the Telecom Operators Association, operators generally do not face difficulties in acquiring private land, as most issues are resolved through mutual commercial agreements.
According to him, the main problem is the delay in obtaining permits from some housing societies, gated communities and various administrative bodies, which affects the expansion of the fibre network.
Experts say that investment in fibreisation and broadband infrastructure is indispensable for the development of Pakistan’s digital economy and meeting the needs of future advanced technologies. However, transparency, accountability and protection of the rights of all parties are equally important in this process.
The government has once again assured that no legislation will be allowed to harm the constitutional and legal rights of citizens, while progress will also continue on the reforms necessary for digital development.
