Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja said on Tuesday that the government was planning to auction 600 MHz of spectrum, for which efforts were underway to complete the auction process by the first week of February 2026.
Addressing a press conference along with Minister for Finance and Revenue Muhammad Aurangzeb here, she said that all processes would be finalized within the next four to six months. The auction would not only strengthen 3G and 4G networks in the country but would also help facilitate the rollout of 5G in the next five months, she added.
Shaza said that the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) had approved the Spectrum Advisory Committee’s recommendations for the auction, which would soon be submitted to the cabinet for approval.
The minister said that Pakistan currently has access to only 274 MHz of telecom spectrum, which is among the lowest globally. The auction would help improve broadband quality and meet the rising demand for internet services, she said.
She said that internet speeds were not at par with international standards due to the unavailability of adequate spectrum. Internet services were experiencing slow speeds because of congestion, she added.
Shaza Fatima emphasized the importance of consultations with stakeholders, including telecom companies, to ensure the smooth implementation of the 5G rollout.
She said the government is committed to further enhancing the Digital Pakistan programme under the vision of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
She said that under the Connect 2030 plan, to be inaugurated soon by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, minimum internet connectivity of 100 Mbps would be available to users over the next five years.
Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb on Tuesday said the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) has approved key recommendations for the upcoming spectrum auction, terming it a major step toward promoting digital and financial inclusion in the country.
Addressing a news conference after the ECC meeting, alongside Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja, the finance minister said that the digital transformation was central to Pakistan’s economic growth agenda.
“When we talk about digital, it is very simple, it is faster, cheaper and better,” Aurangzeb said, adding that digital inclusion and financial inclusion were critical components of the country’s growth paradigm.
He said that spectrum was a vital enabler of this process and warned that unsold spectrum directly translated into economic loss.
The minister said a special committee, which he chaired and included the IT minister and the chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), had worked extensively over the past year on the spectrum auction framework.
He said the committee engaged a renowned international consultant, National Economic Research Associates (NERA), to conduct in-depth analysis and stakeholder consultations.
Aurangzeb said NERA carried out detailed engagement with telecom operators, user focus groups and the PTA, while also reviewing international and regional benchmarks of spectrum auctions.
“They studied how auctions have been conducted globally, on what terms and conditions, and based on that analysis provided comprehensive recommendations,” he added.
He said the recommendations covered critical aspects such as spectrum pricing, payment terms and auction design, and was carefully reviewed with Pakistan’s economic and market realities in view.
“Today, the ECC has approved those recommendations, which we adopted as Pakistan’s first lens for the upcoming spectrum auction. With this approval, we now look forward to a successful auction,” Aurangzeb added.
The finance minister expressed confidence that the approved framework would help unlock the full potential of the telecom sector, support digital connectivity and contribute to sustainable economic growth.