Key Takeaways
- Information Technology Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja stresses the need for new telecommunication laws.
- The existing Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organisation) Act of 1996 is deemed insufficient for modern technologies like 5G.
- A special committee has suggested major changes to the proposed Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organisation) (Amendment) Bill 2026.
Information Technology Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja has called for updated telecommunication laws, emphasizing that existing regulations are inadequate for modern technologies such as 5G. Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad alongside Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Khawaja highlighted the need to amend the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organisation) Act of 1996, which was enacted when 2G technology was prevalent.
Khawaja noted that Pakistan has seen a significant increase in data consumption over the past two years, driven by population growth and rapid adoption of digital technologies. She stated, 'The nationwide rollout of modern telecommunications services requires extensive infrastructure, including fibre-optic networks, telecom towers, and both underground and overground installations.'
According to Khawaja, Pakistan's spectrum availability has increased from 274MHz to approximately 750MHz through the country’s largest-ever spectrum auction. She added that the government is working on expanding high-speed internet access and removing regulatory barriers without compromising citizens' fundamental rights.
The minister emphasized that the proposed bill aims to facilitate investment in Pakistan's digital infrastructure, with a target of extending wired broadband internet to at least 10 million households over the next three years. However, she noted that the country’s existing regulatory framework has not been conducive to attracting the necessary investment for this objective.
Khawaja highlighted that out of Pakistan’s population of around 240 million, only 3 million households had fibre-based internet connections when the present government assumed office in 2024. Over the past two years, she said, the number of fibre connections has increased to more than 5 million through various policy and technical interventions.
The proposed bill is intended to improve the overall regulatory environment and address long-standing challenges related to the Right of Way (ROW) for telecom infrastructure. Khawaja stated that all provincial governments have played a constructive role in implementing structural reforms, while the Centre has introduced measures to encourage greater investment in the sector.
During the press conference, Khawaja reiterated that the proposed legislation would allow anyone to occupy private land. She recalled that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had constituted a committee headed by Tarar to examine the bill after public concerns emerged.
'The nationwide rollout of modern telecommunications services required extensive infrastructure, including fibre-optic networks, telecom towers, and both underground and overground installations.'
Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Information Technology Minister
'The proposed bill was aimed at facilitating investment in Pakistan’s digital infrastructure, expanding high-speed internet access, and removing regulatory barriers without compromising citizens’ fundamental rights.'
Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Information Technology Minister
