A seminar on 5G technology was held in Islamabad, where Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Major General (R) Hafeez Ur Rehman, addressed participants, welcoming telecom experts from Malaysia.

He stated that Malaysia has already launched 5G and is now moving towards 5.5G, emphasizing that Pakistan will benefit from Malaysia’s experience in 5G deployment.

PTA Chairman announced that the spectrum auction for 5G will take place in April or May, acknowledging that Pakistan has already faced delays in launching the technology.

Minister of State for IT, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, also spoke at the seminar, highlighting ongoing internet-related issues in Pakistan.

She explained that sometimes network pressure leads to disruptions and assured that the spectrum auction at the beginning of April will help resolve these challenges. She further stated that legal hurdles had delayed several megahertz of spectrum for over 20 years, and after the auction, both 5G and 4G services will see significant improvements.

Minister Shaza Fatima also announced that the world’s largest submarine cable has now reached Pakistan and will be operational soon.

She stated that if required, more submarine cables will be introduced to improve internet connectivity. She emphasized Pakistan’s commitment to national-level digital transformation, adding that global GDP forecasts predict a $1.3 trillion boost due to 5G technology.

Pakistan’s Digital Future & Connectivity Plans

Over half of Pakistan currently operates on 274 MHz spectrum, which will improve post-auction.

Pakistan aims to enhance connectivity to position itself as a leading internet-friendly nation.

The Wakhan Corridor will be used to connect Pakistan with Central Asia.

The Prime Minister’s IT export target of $25 billion will be achieved with better connectivity.

The government plans to increase IT exports from $3.2 billion to $15 billion.