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The Spectrum Advisory Committee, headed by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, is scheduled to meet today to finalize decisions for Pakistan’s first-ever 5G spectrum auction. The process, however, remains clouded by uncertainty as 154 MHz in the crucial 2600 MHz band, considered the most suitable for Pakistan’s 5G launch, is still tied up in litigation.
Official sources confirmed that representatives from National Economic Research Associates Inc (NERA), a United States-based consultancy hired to design Pakistan’s spectrum auction framework, have arrived in Islamabad. The firm will present its detailed report to the committee during the meeting.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had earlier set December 2025 as the deadline for the auction, but multiple setbacks, including delays in the PTCL-Telenor merger and ongoing legal disputes over the prime 154 MHz block, have pushed the timeline further. The government initially planned to auction 562 MHz of spectrum, but the litigation has prevented inclusion of the most valuable portion.
According to officials, Pakistan still holds spectrum across all ITU-designated 5G bands including 700, 2100, 2300, 2600, and 3300 MHz and above. These can be offered as technology-neutral bands, allowing operators to deploy both 4G and 5G depending on network strategy.
Sources told TechJuice that today’s meeting will determine the roadmap for the long-delayed 5G auction, now expected around February or March 2026. NERA will brief the committee on market readiness, spectrum pricing, valuation methodology, band allocation, rollout obligations, and policy direction, forming the backbone of Pakistan’s future 5G strategy.
Last month, Federal IT and Telecom Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja warned that Pakistan’s long-awaited 5G rollout was at serious risk. She cited crippling input costs, the region’s highest telecom taxation, low ARPU, and dollar-pegged licensing, all of which have heavily strained operators. The unresolved litigation over the 2600 MHz band, she said, could further delay or even derail the auction.
Telecom operators have repeatedly cautioned that continued spectrum delays could cost Pakistan $1.8 to $4.3 billion in economic losses over the next five years. Operators have demanded major reforms, including reduced auction prices, rupee-based payments, 15-year interest-free installments, and duty-free import of 5G equipment and smartphones. However, Pakistan’s commitments under the IMF program limit the government’s ability to provide such relief.
GSMA has emphasized that Pakistan’s spectrum costs are already among the highest in the world, consuming nearly 20 percent of operators’ revenues, and urged policymakers to prioritize long-term digital growth over short-term fiscal gains.
Currently, Pakistan operates with just 274 MHz of total spectrum, less than half of what neighboring countries use, and far below global standards. This chronic shortage is a key driver of network congestion, dropped calls, and slowing mobile internet speeds experienced by millions of users across the country.
As the committee meets today, the outcomes of this session will shape Pakistan’s digital future, determining whether the country can finally move toward a sustainable and timely 5G rollout or continue facing delays that push it further behind regional competitors.
