The Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Major General (Retd.) Hafeez-ur-Rehman, has assured a parliamentary committee that the auction of 5G spectrum will help resolve major telecom network issues and significantly improve service quality across the country, including remote and underdeveloped regions.
He gave this assurance while briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Less Developed Areas, chaired by Senator Niaz Ahmed.
Network issues in Chitral highlighted
During the meeting, the PTA chairman informed lawmakers about ongoing connectivity challenges in Chitral. He said that additional telecom towers have been installed in the region, increasing their total number to 142. However, he noted that a single optical fiber line in the area continues to create problems, as construction activities often lead to cable cuts and service disruptions.
He emphasized the need for better coordination in development projects, stating that PTA should be informed before any construction work begins to prevent damage to telecom infrastructure. The committee also discussed issues such as load shedding and network congestion affecting service quality in the region.
5G spectrum and infrastructure concerns
The PTA chairman stated that the auction of 480 MHz 5G spectrum is expected to ease pressure on telecom networks. He added that 5G services require fiber optic infrastructure and cannot operate effectively on microwave systems, highlighting the need for stronger backbone connectivity.
He expressed confidence that once the 5G rollout begins, many of the existing network capacity issues will be resolved.
Universal Service Fund briefing requested
Committee members stressed that telecom companies earn significant revenues and should also ensure service provision in less developed areas. The PTA chairman noted that the government has allocated a special budget for improving connectivity in these regions.
Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer of the Universal Service Fund (USF), Mudassar Chaudhry, briefed the committee that the USF has completed 165 projects so far and provided subsidies worth Rs. 140 billion, with 45% of the funding utilized in Balochistan.
He also revealed that fund-related issues had previously stalled projects for nearly two and a half years. According to him, Rs. 57.2 billion had been accumulated in the fund until 2013, but the Finance Division later utilized those funds.
He added that the process of returning USF funds began in 2025, and Rs. 17 billion has so far been returned by the Ministry of Finance, while around Rs. 40 billion is still pending.
The committee directed that a detailed briefing on the Universal Service Fund be presented in the next meeting.
