The government is now targeting the first quarter of 2026 for Pakistan’s long awaited 5G spectrum auction, following a high level review by the auction advisory committee chaired by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb. The meeting brought together key stakeholders, including the Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication, Chairman PTA, and senior officials from relevant institutions, as discussions focused on auction preparedness, spectrum availability, and prevailing market conditions. The review comes at a time when public dissatisfaction over declining mobile service quality continues to grow across the country.
Officials briefed the committee on the current status of auction readiness, highlighting both technical and market related considerations that could influence the process. As part of the next steps, a detailed briefing to the Deputy Prime Minister has been scheduled for Wednesday, followed by a meeting with the Prime Minister on Thursday. These engagements are being seen as a critical phase in the lead up to the auction, as industry players closely monitor developments around timelines, reserve pricing, and spectrum configuration. The discussions are taking place against a backdrop of mounting pressure from consumers and businesses alike, who have raised concerns over persistent network congestion, slow data speeds, and frequent call drops.
Despite a steady rise in demand for mobile and data services, Pakistan continues to operate with a significant portion of spectrum lying unused. Officials informed the committee that nearly 600 MHz of spectrum remains idle, while only 274 MHz is currently available to support a subscriber base of around 200 million users. This imbalance has placed considerable strain on existing networks, limiting operators’ ability to improve service quality and expand capacity. Comparisons were also drawn with regional peers, where Bangladesh allocates approximately 700 MHz of spectrum to serve about 173 million subscribers. The contrast underscores the scale of Pakistan’s capacity gap and reinforces the view within policymaking circles that unlocking idle spectrum is essential not only for improving current service standards but also for enabling next generation technologies such as 5G.
The planned 5G auction is widely regarded within the telecom industry as a potential inflection point, provided it proceeds without further delays. Sector experts caution that continued postponements could worsen service issues and slow progress on broader digital initiatives tied to connectivity. With businesses increasingly reliant on stable mobile broadband and consumers expecting reliable data access, clarity around auction timelines and regulatory terms is becoming more urgent. Stakeholders are seeking assurance that the upcoming briefings will address key concerns, including affordability of spectrum, long term licensing conditions, and the ability of operators to sustainably invest in network upgrades.
Concerns over service quality were also echoed in the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on IT and Telecom, which expressed no confidence in Pakistan’s internet and telecom services during a session held on Tuesday. The meeting, chaired by Amin ul Haque, saw committee members sharply question PTA over perceived gaps between official reporting and user experience. Members unanimously rejected PTA’s Quality of Service report that claimed a 99 percent satisfaction rate for mobile signals, describing the figure as incomprehensible in light of widespread complaints about slow internet and weak coverage. Committee member Sharmila Faruqui called for future QoS surveys to be conducted by an independent third party to ensure transparency, while Pullain Baloch raised concerns about the lack of accountability mechanisms for consumers facing persistent service issues. The committee’s remarks added further urgency to calls for infrastructure investment, regulatory oversight, and timely spectrum allocation as Pakistan moves closer to its planned 5G auction.
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