Islamabad, February 16, 2026 – The successful rollout and widespread adoption of 5G technology in Pakistan hinges on radical tax cuts, supportive regulation, and a strong business-to-business (B2B) strategy, experts said on Monday, warning that without decisive reforms, the country’s transition to next-generation connectivity will remain sluggish.
This consensus emerged during a seminar titled “5G Imperative in Pakistan: The Need for Comprehensive Infrastructure, Economic Readiness, and Digital Sovereignty,” organized by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) under its Study Group on IT and Telecommunication.
In his welcome address, Brig. (R) Mohammad Yasin, Distinguished Advisor Emeritus of SDPI, described the upcoming auction of nearly 600 MHz spectrum as the largest in Pakistan’s history, calling it a structural shift rather than a routine technological upgrade. He noted that over 130 million broadband users currently share only 274 MHz spectrum, far below regional benchmarks, and emphasized that the inclusion of 2,300 MHz, 2,600 MHz and 3,500 MHz bands would significantly improve 4G capacity and enable 5G deployment.
Dr. Muhammad Mukarram Khan, Director-General Cyber Vigilance at the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), said high handset taxes and tariffs are major barriers to consumer adoption. He revealed that PTA is engaging with the Federal Board of Revenue to rationalize taxes, while also enhancing internet resilience, submarine cable diversity, and satellite connectivity.
ICT consultant Parvez Iftikhar stressed that 5G growth would be driven primarily by enterprise use cases rather than retail broadband, highlighting applications in industrial automation, logistics, and Special Economic Zones. Other speakers underscored the need for regulatory clarity, investment incentives, skills development, and targeted public-sector pilots to unlock 5G’s economic potential and accelerate Pakistan’s digital transformation.