Telecom operators in Pakistan have invested 178.6 million dollars into the country’s 5G rollout, following the 5G spectrum auction held in March 2026 that paved the way for the commercial launch of next generation mobile services. According to data shared by the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, this investment has already enabled operators to upgrade a total of 1,136 sites to 5G across the country, reflecting an aggressive push by mobile operators to expand network infrastructure since the auction concluded.
The Ministry’s data provides a detailed breakdown of spending by each major telecom company up to June 2026. Zong currently leads the pack in infrastructure spending with 98.9 million dollars invested so far, followed by Jazz at 59.67 million dollars and Ufone at approximately 20 million dollars. Operators have also outlined their projected investment figures for the upcoming fiscal year, FY2027, with Zong planning to invest an additional 39.9 million dollars and Jazz projecting 30.33 million dollars in further spending. Ufone remains the exception among the three operators, as the ministry noted that the company will share its FY2027 investment projections only after completing its ongoing merger related activities.
Notably, this substantial capital investment into the telecom sector has taken place without any strict government mandated pressure tied to foreign direct investment targets. The government issued its Policy Directive for the spectrum auction on January 6, 2026, but the directive did not set any specific requirement for telecom companies to bring in a fixed amount of foreign direct investment as part of the 5G rollout. Despite the absence of a mandated FDI target, operators have continued to make substantial investments on their own accord, suggesting strong commercial incentive behind the pace of network expansion seen so far.
While the initial rollout figures point to steady progress, the government continues to track more granular infrastructure updates as the rollout progresses further. Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication is currently compiling province wise data that will detail which specific sites feature fibre connectivity alongside 5G upgrades at the provincial level, giving policymakers and industry stakeholders a clearer picture of how network expansion is distributed geographically across Pakistan as the rollout continues into the new fiscal year.
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