Pakistan Telecommunication Authority issued 47 district level internet service licenses during the first half of 2026 as part of a new regulatory framework designed to expand broadband access and encourage more local internet service providers across the country. The licensing drive accelerated steadily throughout the year, with one license issued in February, 12 in March, 14 in May, and a record 20 in June, marking the regulator’s most active licensing period in recent years.
The licensing campaign began on February with the first approval issued for Attock, before expanding through the following months to cover districts across Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Islamabad. June recorded the sharpest jump in approvals, opening with licenses for operators in Sialkot and Attock on June 1, followed by nine additional providers receiving licenses on June 8 alone, reflecting a significant acceleration in the pace of approvals as the framework matured.
Punjab accounted for the largest share of new licenses, reflecting strong demand for localised broadband services in the province. Lahore received the highest number of approvals with seven licenses, followed by Sargodha with five, while Faisalabad and Islamabad each received four. The initiative also extended internet services beyond major urban centres, with licenses issued for operators in underserved areas including South Waziristan and Lower Chitral, marking a notable step toward improving connectivity in remote regions that have historically lagged behind Pakistan’s larger cities in broadband access.
Pakistan Telecommunication Authority introduced the district level Class License for Internet Services on January 1, 2026, replacing a previous model that generally required operators to obtain larger regional or nationwide licenses carrying significantly higher investment requirements. Under the new framework, internet service providers can obtain licenses covering a single district, lowering barriers to entry for small and medium sized operators and encouraging more localised investment in broadband infrastructure. Applicants are required to pay a one time initial license fee of Rs300,000, along with an annual license fee of Rs100,000 for the first year, with the annual fee subject to a 10 percent increase in subsequent years. The licenses remain valid for 10 years, giving smaller operators long term operational certainty as they build out district specific networks.
The licensing push comes shortly after Pakistan Telecommunication Authority confirmed that internet services across the country had fully stabilised following the repair of the SEA-ME-WE 5 submarine cable, during which traffic had been rerouted through alternative international links in coordination with Transworld Associates to minimise disruption. With new broadband operators now entering more districts and international connectivity restored to normal capacity, the regulator’s district level licensing framework forms part of a broader strategy to improve last mile connectivity, increase competition in Pakistan’s broadband market, and support the country’s continued digital transformation, particularly in underserved and rural areas that have remained on the margins of the country’s broadband expansion to date.
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