ISLAMABAD: The federal government has proposed sweeping amendments to telecom laws that would grant telecom operators unprecedented Right of Way (RoW) powers, impose fines of up to Rs50 million for obstructing network infrastructure projects, and significantly restructure the governance of the National Telecommunication Corporation (NTC) by reducing federal government control.
According to the proposed amendments, telecom licensees will be granted an absolute Right of Way for the deployment of telecom infrastructure, including fiber-optic networks, telecom towers, and 5G-related facilities.
The proposed Section 27A would override conflicting laws, contracts, rules, and by-laws, preventing public authorities, housing societies, cantonments, commercial estates, and private entities from blocking telecom infrastructure projects.
Under the new framework, applications for infrastructure access would be deemed approved if public authorities fail to respond within 30 days. Similar deemed approvals would apply to housing societies, cantonments, and commercial estates, limiting them to negotiating only the timing and manner of execution rather than blocking projects altogether.
The amendments also prohibit public authorities, societies, and estate managements from charging fees, rent, or compensation for collective private access to telecom infrastructure.
Once permission is granted, authorities would be barred from unilaterally altering or revoking approvals.
To ensure enforcement, the proposed Section 27B empowers the government to impose administrative penalties of up to Rs50 million on any property owner, tenant, or entity obstructing or delaying RoW access. Disputes would be decided within 45 days by a government-nominated officer not below the rank of a federal or provincial secretary.
The reforms are aimed at removing long-standing bureaucratic hurdles that have delayed fiber-optic expansion, telecom tower deployment, and preparations for future 5G services.
In a parallel move, the government plans a major restructuring of the National Telecommunication Corporation, transforming it into a more autonomous state-owned enterprise aligned with the SOE Act, 2023.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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