Govt discusses scrapping right-of-way fees to accelerate fiber rollout

The government discussed abolishing Right-of-way (ROW) fees, among other measures, for telecom infrastructure as part of a proposed National Connectivity Plan (NCP) aimed at accelerating fibre-optic network deployment and expanding high-speed internet access, read an official statement on Friday.

Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Cheema chaired a meeting on the NCP, joined by the Minister for IT & Telecom Shaza Fatima Khawaja and senior officials. The meeting primarily focused on expanding access to high-speed internet in villages, remote areas, and small towns to bridge the digital divide and unlock new economic opportunities, read an official statement.

During the meeting, officials placed strong emphasis on improving digital accessibility and affordability for all citizens.

Participants considered targeted tax relief for internet users in remote areas to expand digital participation.

Additional strategic reforms discussed included abolishing right-of-way fees, launching a single-window approval portal, introducing district-level licensing, and making fixed broadband connectivity mandatory across public institutions, schools, and health facilities, read the statement.

Scrapping ‘RoW’ charges is key to unlocking Pakistan’s digital future, say experts

ROW fees are charges paid for the legal right to install and operate infrastructure. In the telecom sector, these fees are levied on companies that want to lay optical fiber cables and other related digital infrastructure across land owned by various entities such as housing societies, roads, and railway lines.

In the meeting, Cheema said the government’s top priority is to facilitate freelancers, e-commerce entrepreneurs, and other digital professionals living in remote regions who continue to face challenges due to slow and unreliable internet connectivity.

He said the government will take all necessary measures to ensure the availability of affordable, high-speed internet services across the country, enabling citizens to participate fully in the digital economy.

During the meeting, the officials underscored the vital role of next-generation fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) networks and 5G infrastructure in driving national economic growth.

Highlighting the momentum of Pakistan’s digital development, officials noted that FTTH subscriptions have grown steadily to 2.8 million, supported by a robust fiber footprint of 234,000 kilometres, 5.1 million house passes, and six operational submarine cables.

To build upon this progress, Cheema outlined ambitious national targets under the NCP, including expanding infrastructure to 10 million house passes, raising average fixed broadband download speeds to 85 Mbps, securing a place among the world’s top 50 countries for broadband performance, and increasing tower fiberisation to 60%.

Emphasising the government’s commitment to effective implementation, Federal Minister Ahad Cheema said the NCP will be finalised expeditiously through comprehensive stakeholder consultation.