ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Sherry Rehman has declared that her party will not support the proposed telecom amendment bill in the Senate unless contentious provisions are removed and the legislation undergoes detailed scrutiny by the relevant parliamentary committee.
In a statement on Monday, Rehman said the PPP would oppose any legislation concerning the information technology sector, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), or right-of-way regulations if it bypasses thorough review and agreed amendments.
The controversy surrounds the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organisation) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which was approved by the National Assembly earlier this month and is currently under examination by the Senate Standing Committee on IT and Telecom.
Rehman argued that the bill still contains provisions her party considers excessive, particularly clauses related to rights of way for telecommunications infrastructure. She expressed concern over sections that could grant broad powers to authorities and impose heavy penalties, including fines of up to Rs50 million for delaying or obstructing telecom infrastructure projects.
According to the PPP senator, party lawmakers in the National Assembly were assured that the disputed clauses had been removed before the bill was passed. However, she said several of those provisions remained in the version later sent to the Senate, prompting the party to demand further committee review.
While reaffirming support for expanding Pakistan’s digital infrastructure and fiber-optic network, Rehman maintained that the legislation must not compromise property rights or place dispute-resolution mechanisms solely under executive control.
She welcomed the government’s decision to review the bill but stressed that any revised draft should first be examined by the Senate committee before being brought to the upper house for approval. Rehman also called for a public hearing on the matter to ensure transparency and allow stakeholders to voice their concerns.
The PPP leader emphasized that her party would continue to seek amendments through the parliamentary process, insisting that legislation of such significance should be debated thoroughly before becoming law.
