The Ministry of IT and Telecommunication is taking steps to establish a Telecom Tribunal for the speedy resolution of disputes in Pakistan’s telecom sector. The ministry has prepared an ordinance draft for this purpose, which has been reviewed by the Ministry of Law and is now awaiting approval from the federal government.
However, there is a hurdle in the form of the ongoing Senate session. The ordinance cannot be approved until the Senate session is adjourned, as the bill would need to be presented in the Senate if it’s brought during the session. This could lead to further delays, as it would then require approval from the National Assembly, which may take up to three months due to the election of a new National Assembly.
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The proposed Telecom Tribunal is designed to consist of three members, with the chairman being a High Court judge or someone with equivalent legal experience. The other two members would include a technical expert and a financial expert. The Ministry of IT and Telecom believes that the establishment of the Telecom Tribunal will help expedite the resolution of disputes and cases in the telecom sector. This, in turn, is expected to reduce the burden on the regular court system and provide a more efficient mechanism for addressing telecom-related issues. Once the ordinance is approved by the Federal Cabinet and the President, it will come into force, providing a dedicated avenue for addressing telecom sector disputes.