Islamabad, March 10, 2026 – The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) announced on Tuesday the successful completion of the first round of Pakistan’s 5G spectrum auction, marking a historic milestone in the country’s digital transformation journey.
The auction was inaugurated by Muhammad Aurangzeb, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, and Attaullah Tarar, alongside Hafeez Ur Rehman. Three qualified telecom companies participated in the process, competing for a total of around 600 MHz of spectrum aimed at introducing 5G services in Pakistan.
According to DG Licensing at PTA, the first phase offered 190 MHz in the 2600 MHz band, but demand exceeded supply, with an additional 110 MHz requested. Consequently, the spectrum price has been increased by 5% for the second phase. Additionally, 280 MHz of the 3.5 GHz band was made available, while demand reached 200 MHz, indicating strong interest from telecom operators.
Speaking at the ceremony, IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja described the auction as a “historic step” that would strengthen Pakistan’s digital economy and improve connectivity nationwide. She highlighted that Pakistan’s 3G and 4G era began during former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s government between 2014 and 2016, but no major spectrum auctions had occurred since, affecting internet quality and user experience.
Shaza Fatima noted that the auction would enhance existing 4G networks and enable fast, reliable, and affordable 5G services, initially targeting Islamabad and provincial capitals within five to six months. She added that a national fiberisation plan would support infrastructure expansion for telecom operators, and Right of Way charges for telecom infrastructure had been abolished to accelerate fiber network deployment.
PTA Chairman Hafeez Ur Rehman called 5G a “digital highway” for Pakistan’s future and thanked all institutions involved, particularly the Frequency Allocation Board and armed forces, for facilitating the availability of spectrum. He emphasized that Pakistan had become the first country in Asia to abolish Right of Way charges, reducing costs from Rs36,000 per kilometre to zero, thereby enabling telecom companies to expand services rapidly.
The auction framework was developed in consultation with the Spectrum Advisory Committee, the Ministry of Finance, PTA, and the Frequency Allocation Board, and received positive feedback from international telecom organizations during the Mobile World Congress.
Minister Shaza Fatima underscored that improvements in 4G services would be visible within four to five months, while 5G rollout would follow shortly thereafter. She linked these developments to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s “Digital Nation Pakistan” vision, which promotes digitization, technology training for youth, IT exports, and a cashless economy.
With the first round completed, Pakistan is now poised to enter a new technological era, offering modern digital connectivity to urban and remote areas alike, while strengthening the telecom sector as a backbone for economic growth and innovation.