Pakistan plans to conduct its largest-ever telecom spectrum auction in late January or early February 2026, a move expected to ease network congestion and enable the country’s first rollout of 5G services. Information Technology Minister Shaza Fatima said the auction is critical to improving internet quality, noting that Pakistan currently operates on just 274 MHz of spectrum for a population of around 240 million—far below regional peers.
The government intends to auction nearly 600 MHz of spectrum, including several frequency bands that have never been offered before in Pakistan. The expanded spectrum allocation is expected to enhance existing 3G and 4G services while laying the foundation for nationwide 5G deployment.
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) has approved the auction framework following international benchmarking and consultations with telecom operators, regulators, and consumers. He warned that unsold spectrum represents direct economic loss and said the framework was developed with advice from international consultancy National Economic Research Associates before being reviewed through a “Pakistan-first” lens. The proposal will now be submitted to the federal cabinet for final approval.
