The Pakistani government has outlined a definitive plan to enhance the nation’s telecommunications infrastructure. Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja announced plans to auction 600 MHz of telecom spectrum by the first week of February 2026.
Addressing a press conference, Minister Khawaja stated that all preparatory procedures are underway. They are expected to be finalised within the next four to six months.
The main goals of this major spectrum release are to significantly enhance existing 3G and 4G services and to support the commercial rollout of 5G technology throughout Pakistan.
The minister highlighted a critical shortfall. Pakistan currently has access to only 274 MHz of telecom spectrum. This is one of the lowest allocations globally and contributes to network congestion and subpar internet speeds.
600 میگا ہرٹز سپیکٹرم کی آکشن کرنے جا رہے ہیں، شزا فاطمہ#600MHzSpectrum #SpectrumAuction #TelecomPakistan #DigitalPakistan #MobileConnectivity #ShazaFatima #TelecomReforms pic.twitter.com/h6S0g0rWIa
— APP (@appcsocialmedia) December 23, 2025“Slow internet speeds are largely due to spectrum congestion and limited availability,” Khawaja explained. She added that current services do not meet international standards.
The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) has already approved the Spectrum Advisory Committee’s recommendations. These will now be presented to the federal cabinet for final approval.
Read: PTA Discloses Challenges in 5G Auction in Pakistan
The minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the Digital Pakistan initiative. She also detailed the ‘Connect 2030’ plan, set to be inaugurated soon by the Prime Minister. Under this plan, the government aims to provide users with minimum internet speeds of up to 100 Mbps over the next five years.
