Govt plans to auction 600 MHz Spectrum by first week of Feb 2026: Shaza Fatima

Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja said on Tuesday that the government was planning to auction 600 MHz of spectrum, for which efforts were underway to complete the auction process by the first week of February 2026.
Addressing a press conference along with Minister for Finance and Revenue Muhammad Aurangzeb here, she said that all processes would be finalized within the next four to six months. The auction would not only strengthen 3G and 4G networks in the country but would also help facilitate the rollout of 5G in the next five months, she added.
Shaza said that the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) had approved the Spectrum Advisory Committee’s recommendations for the auction, which would soon be submitted to the cabinet for approval.
The minister said that Pakistan currently has access to only 274 MHz of telecom spectrum, which is among the lowest globally. The auction would help improve broadband quality and meet the rising demand for internet services, she said.
She said that internet speeds were not at par with international standards due to the unavailability of adequate spectrum. Internet services were experiencing slow speeds because of congestion, she added.
Shaza Fatima emphasized the importance of consultations with stakeholders, including telecom companies, to ensure the smooth implementation of the 5G rollout.
She said the government is committed to further enhancing the Digital Pakistan programme under the vision of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
She said that under the Connect 2030 plan, to be inaugurated soon by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, minimum internet connectivity of 100 Mbps would be available to users over the next five years.