NHA, Pakistan Railways Abolish Right of Way Charges to Boost Fiberization

The National Highway Authority (NHA) has issued a notification announcing the abolition of Right of Way (ROW) charges for the development and installation of IT and related infrastructure, including fiberization, in line with the directive of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Pakistan Railways has also abolished ROW charges as part of the same initiative. The decision, approved by the competent authority, will be applicable with immediate effect and is aimed at accelerating Pakistan’s digital transformation. Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, in a message on her social media account, termed the development a major breakthrough under the government’s fiberization plan. She wrote, “Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has done it again! A big step forward in the Ministry of IT’s fiberization plan.” The Minister expressed gratitude to Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan and Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi, acknowledging their role in the decision. “Thanks to the Communications Minister and the Railways Minister, the NHA and Pakistan Railways have removed Right of Way charges, paving the way for fast internet access through fiber networks in every village and city across Pakistan,” Fatima said. According to the NHA and Railway Ministry notifications dated August 28, 2025, the non-collection of ROW charges will apply to all development and installation works of IT and IT-related infrastructure. The decision is expected to significantly reduce costs for telecom and internet service providers, while also removing one of the biggest policy bottlenecks in expanding high-speed broadband across the country.