ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s 5G rollout has reached 1,782 sites across 24 cities, according to figures shared by Information Technology Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja.
Jazz leads the rollout with 1,015 sites. China Mobile Pakistan (Zong) has 640, while Ufone has 127. The government introduced 5G after a multiband spectrum auction.
Operators signed new licences on March 19, and the phased rollout began the next day. Karachi has the largest reported network footprint with 385 sites. Lahore follows with 373, while Islamabad has 276.
Faisalabad has 144 sites and Peshawar 122. Rawalpindi has 108, while Multan has 103. Coverage extends to smaller markets including Abbottabad, Attock, Chitral, Kohat, Mardan, Swabi and Gujrat.
Khawaja said operators must deploy in federal and provincial capitals during the first phase. They can expand elsewhere according to their business plans.
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Device cost remains another barrier to wider adoption. The cheapest locally available 5G-compatible handset costs about Rs36,000, according to the minister.
Local manufacturers assembled 607,093 5G-capable handsets between January and August 2026. Users do not need to replace existing 4G-capable SIM cards.
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They still need a compatible handset and access to 5G coverage. The government has not given a firm timetable for making 5G services more affordable.
