PM Shehbaz hails 5G spectrum sale as 'wonderful beginning' for Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday celebrated the successful conclusion of Pakistan's 5G spectrum auction, describing it as a "wonderful beginning" for the country after 480 megahertz (MHz) of spectrum were sold for $507 million.

The government had completed the spectrum auction in the federal capital last week, with three telecom operators — Zong, Jazz and Ufone — participating as bidders. The competition was particularly intense for the 2,600MHz band, which is considered a key frequency range for 5G services.

Spectrum allocation breakdown

According to the auction results, Jazz emerged as the largest acquirer with 190MHz of spectrum, followed by Ufone with 180MHz and Zong with 110MHz.

PM calls auction a 'milestone'

Speaking at a ceremony in Islamabad where the spectrum licences were formally awarded, the prime minister termed the acquisition of 5G spectrum a "milestone" for Pakistan in terms of industry, agriculture and technology.

PM Shehbaz emphasised that the entire programme had been conducted "very transparently." He noted that legal challenges had posed the largest obstacle to the auction process, as had been the case in the past.

In this regard, the premier thanked Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar for making the "utmost effort to end these legal challenges" and for ensuring full transparency in the process.

Significance of the 5G rollout

The successful auction and licence distribution mark a significant step in Pakistan's journey towards deploying next-generation 5G telecommunications services. The three major telecom companies that secured spectrum in the auction are now positioned to begin rolling out 5G infrastructure across the country.

The $507 million generated from the sale of 480MHz of spectrum represents a substantial financial outcome for the government, while the competitive bidding among the three operators for the 2,600MHz band underscored the commercial importance of 5G-compatible frequencies in the Pakistani market.

The licence award ceremony, attended by the prime minister and senior government officials including the law minister, served as the formal culmination of an auction process that the government has presented as a transparent and legally sound exercise.