ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s long-awaited 5G spectrum auction will be held on March 10, 2026, with major telecom operators already depositing USD45 million as advance participation fees, signalling strong industry interest in the rollout of next-generation mobile services.
The National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication was chaired by Syed Amin ul Haq, MNA, in which the committee was informed that Pakistan’s long-awaited 5G spectrum auction will be held on March 10, 2026.
The briefing was given by the Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) during the committee’s 21st meeting. The committee was told that Jazz, Ufone and Zong have each submitted $15 million, while multiple spectrum bands will be offered in the auction.
READ MORE: PTA set to hold 5G spectrum auction on March 10
Under the auction framework, each successful bidder will be required to acquire a minimum of 100 MHz spectrum, with initial 5G services to be launched in selected cities.
The PTA chairman said the auction represents a major step in Pakistan’s digital transformation, adding that telecom operators have been directed to improve network readiness, particularly through greater fiberisation of mobile towers, to support high-speed and reliable 5G services.
The committee appreciated PTA’s handling of the auction process and stressed that the primary objective of 5G deployment should be to deliver tangible benefits to the public and support socio-economic growth.
During the meeting, the committee also approved the Rs71.84 billion PSDP budget of the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication and its attached departments for the financial year 2026–27, covering both ongoing and new development projects.
Separately, the committee deferred consideration of The Electronic Transactions (Amendment) Bill, 2026, after being informed that consultations with the Parliamentary Legislative Committee and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) could not be completed due to time constraints. The bill will be taken up after the consultative process is concluded.
The meeting was attended by several MNAs, including Zulfiqar Ali Bhatti, Gulnaz Shahzadi, Syed Ali Qasim Gillani, Dr Mahesh Kumar Malani, Sadiq Ali Memon and Sharmila Sahiba Faruqi, along with officials of the Ministry of IT and its attached departments.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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