TELECOM BILL: This refers to the report “IT ministry clarifies proposed telecom law amendments do not mandate ‘acquisition of private land’” (Dawn.Com, June 20) which was related to the Pakistan Telecommunication (Reorganisation) (Amendment) Bill 2026 that sparked significant public and political debate. The main issue was that licensed telecom operators were initially granted wider access to public and private properties to lay fibre optic cables and install mobile towers. Those obstructing the installation of telecom infrastructures could face heavy penalties. Subsequent requests indicated that the government had decided to revise the draft legislation to make property owners’ consent a mandatory component. People can heave a sigh of relief now.
Khalid Mustafa
Islamabad
PERMANENT SOLUTIONS: Every summer, water crisis worsens in the Gandawah area of Jhal Magsi. Villagers are compelled to travel long distances in search of potable water, while many depend on expensive private water tankers or contaminated sources that pose serious health risks. The crisis is rooted in years of official neglect, deteriorating water infrastructure, depleting groundwater reserves, erratic rainfall, and the growing impact of climate change. Successive governments have announced schemes and allocated funds, but little has changed for the people on the ground. Agriculture, the economic backbone of Jhal Magsi, has suffered immensely. The local people deserve lasting solutions, not promises.
Muhammad Ibraheem
Jhal Magsi
NEED OF A FLYOVER: Recent heavy rains and flooding in Khyber district claimed the lives of four innocent people. This heart-breaking tragedy has left the community in grief. Had there been a flyover and better infrastructure on the Peshawar-Torkham Road, these precious lives would have been saved. The govern-ment should construct a flyover at the location so that no one has to suffer such a painful loss. Human lives are too precious to be lost due to preventable causes.
Zahid Shinwari
Landikotal
Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2026
