ISLAMABAD: IT Minister Shaza Fatima on Thursday announced that 4G services are set to improve, and work on launching 5G has begun.

She was speaking at a ceremony where 480 MHz spectrum was released to three operators, boosting the country’s total spectrum to over 7,500 MHz.

“Our capacity has now increased three times from today,” she said, adding “5G pilot launch will start in major cities from next week. The allocation of frequency slots was held in the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) attended by the top management of Jazz, Ufone and Zong.

The telcos acknowledged the fairness and transparency of the spectrum auction process and announced that they have already started tests of 5G services in several areas. The minister added that government is working to establish an AI Council to bring experienced professionals on board to guide the country’s AI policy and its development.

“The council would help formulate policies and guide the responsible use and development of artificial intelligence in Pakistan,” Ms Fatima said and added that the initiative is part of broader efforts to strengthen Pakistan’s digital economy and promote innovation in emerging technologies.

She also informed that the country will soon have a policy to have smart mobile devices on installments. “This will help spread of smart phones among all segments of the society,” the minister said.

The minister also noted that a large number of mobile phones being used in Pakistan are now being assembled or manufactured locally, reflecting growth in the country’s mobile device manufacturing sector. The minister said that internet is a basic need of Pakistan today and three new submarine cables have landed in Pakistan increasing the availability of internet.

Speaking about taxation on mobile phones, the minister said the IT Ministry and PTA have consistently advocated for a reduction in taxes on mobile devices. However, she clarified that the taxes imposed on mobile phones are determined by the Federal Board of Revenue, not by the IT ministry or the telecom regulator.

PTA Chairman retired Major General Hafeez-ur-Rehman said that total amount generated from the spectrum auction is $510 million, which is around Rs142 billion.

Published in Dawn, March 13th, 2026