Pakistan’s internet speed has increased by 60% over the past two and a half years, while fiber-optic connectivity has doubled. Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja shared the figures on Tuesday.
Speaking at the Margalla Dialogue, Shaza Fatima Khawaja said Pakistan’s internet data usage had grown by two terabits per second. As a result, the country’s total live internet capacity has reached around seven terabits per second.
She added that two new submarine internet cables had been introduced to improve international connectivity. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s fibre-optic network has expanded from three million connections to more than six million.
The minister also highlighted Pakistan’s recent spectrum auction, which offered 480 MHz of spectrum. She described it as the largest auction in the country’s history. The move increased Pakistan’s total available spectrum from 274 MHz to more than 750 MHz.
Shaza Fatima Khawaja further confirmed that 5G services had been launched in Pakistan. Around 1.8 million users have already subscribed to the new technology.
Discussing artificial intelligence, the minister said AI could become a $4.8 trillion global economy by 2033. She believes the technology will transform jobs rather than eliminate them. According to her, people using AI could become up to 100 times more productive than others with similar skills.
She also stressed the importance of digital skills as AI adoption continues to grow. The government, she added, remains committed to its Digital Nation Pakistan vision and plans to expand the country’s digital infrastructure.
However, the reported improvements have not convinced everyone. Customers across different networks and regions continue to complain about slow internet speeds. Many users also say they have yet to experience any noticeable improvement in their internet services.
