Sherry says PPP will not support any PTA bill in Senate sans 'thorough' standing committee debate

Wire excerpt

Amid vocal criticism of a bill aimed at advancing fibreisation across the country, PPP Vice President Senator Sherry Rehman said on Monday that the party would not support any such legislation in the Senate unless it was “thoroughly discussed threadbare” in the relevant standing committee and the party’s proposed deletions were ensured in the final bill. Concerns about the intentions behind the Pakistan Telecommunication (Amendment) Bill 2026 have intensified due to the timing of the government’s attempt to secure its passage through both houses of Parliament and criticism against its clause to allow telecommunication companies to use public land without a fee. The bill was approved by the National Assembly (NA) on June 11, a day before the presentation of the federal budget 2026-27, and was presented in the Senate on June 15. It was referred to the Senate Standing Committee on IT and Telecommunication on June 15, before being deferred . On Sunday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also formed a committee to review the bill and submit its recommendations. In a post on the social media platform X on Monday, Rehman said, “For the record, the PPP in the Senate will not be passing any I…