Pakistan Telecom, IT, Tech updates

‘Faster, cheaper, better’: 480MHz sold for $507m as 5G spectrum auction concludes​


Kalbe Ali | News Desk
March 10, 2026

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Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb addresses the 5G spectrum auction taking place in Islamabad on Mar 10. — DawnNewsTV

The government completed its 5G spectrum auction in Islamabad on Tuesday, with 480 megahertz sold for $507 million at the end of the third round of bidding.

The three bidders — Zong, Jazz and Ufone — competed heavily at 2600 megahertz for the key frequency band needed for the 5G service. Zong acquired 110MHz, Ufone 180MHz and Jazz 190MHz during the auction.

Pakistan offered 700 MHz for $32.5 million, 1800 MHz for $16.8m, 2100 MHz for $70m, 2300 MHz for $10m, 2600 MHz for $12.50m and 3500 MHz for $6.5m per lot.

The bidding process was launched in the presence of Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Information Minister Attaullah Tarrar, former IT minister Syed Aminul Haque, and the chairperson of the National Assembly Standing Committee on IT and Telecom, along with some members of the committee.

After the first round of bidding, the compiled results were opened. The PTA had offered 190MHz in lots of 10MHz each, while the bidders demanded 30 lots. Eleven extra lots totalling 110MHz were made available for auction. The PTA has decided to increase the bid price of the 2600MHz band by five per cent of its base price.
 
For the other 5G band — 3500MHz — 28 lots of 10MHz were offered but the telecom companies placed bids for only 20 lots. A break preceded both the second and the third round of bidding.

Addressing the event, Aurangzeb thanked all the members of the spectrum committee and gave credit to the IT minister for ensuring the continuity of the IT policy resulting in the spectrum auction despite changing administrations.

Regarding how the auction was going to be “an enabler”, he said, “I’ve always said digital is not an end in itself; it’s a means to an end. Faster, cheaper, better — it’s as simple as that.”

He added, “When we talk about jobs, when we talk about [how] the private sector has to lead the country, this is exactly what the government should be doing … providing the ecosystem and helping out.

“And of course, as we move towards the new economy — whether it’s AI, whether it’s blockchain, whether its Web 3.0 — all of this is going to be helped in terms of the spectrum availability and as we move into 5G.”
 
IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja called the auction “maybe one of the most important days in the history of Pakistan”. She said that during the era of former premier Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan had entered the era of 3G and 4G for the first time, but no major auctions had been held since then, as a result of which the country was experiencing challenges with connectivity.

Shaza added that alongside 5G being introduced for the first time in Pakistan, the nation would also see an increase in the quality of 4G connectivity.

She said that the internet formed the foundation of every aspect of life, “from personal life to economy, agriculture, industry, all the way to national security … a fast, reliable internet that is available to every Pakistani citizen has become a foundational requirement for us”.

The IT minister compared Pakistan’s spectrum availability to that of Bangladesh, which despite having only two-thirds of Pakistan’s population had 600MHz to Pakistan’s 274MHz availability. She also said that Pakistan had run on these 274MHz since 1997.

“Even if we just do the base auction successfully, our spectrum availability will double,” she said.

“I know people’s first question is always ‘When will we feel the impact of this?’ So in four or five months, you will see significantly better quality in your 4G services,” she said, adding that efforts were being made to ensure 5G introduced in the five big cities within five to six months.
 
The minister said that apart from the spectrum auction, the government was working at three other important segments of digitisation: satellite based internet to provide coverage in remote and inaccessible areas; linking Pakistan with international cable systems to make it an internet transit country, and the spread of fibre networks in country.

In this regard, the government had already abolished the right of way charges, becoming the first country in Asia to do so. This would improve the quality of connectivity across the country and reduce the cost of internet in the long term, she said.

During a background briefing held on Monday, the IT minister had stated that efforts had been made to ensure that all three stakeholders benefitted from the spectrum auction. She added that mock exercises with all three participants have been completed.

Telecom companies say spectrum is an invisible infrastructure but a crucial one as it drives digital connectivity — the foundation of modern life.
 

SadaPay faces backlash over faulty account deductions, blames partner system error​

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SadaPay, a Pakistani fintech firm, acknowledged a system issue that led to incorrect deductions and negative balances in some customer accounts, apologising for the disruption and assuring users that all affected balances would be restored within 48 hours.

“Our users have reported seeing incorrect deductions and negative balances in their accounts. That’s on us - and we’re sorry,” said SadaPay in a message to customers.

The fintech said the issue stemmed from a “temporary problem with one of our technology partners,” which caused erroneous transactions to appear in user accounts. “We caught it, we’re on it, and we’ve already reached out to everyone affected,” the company said, adding that customers’ funds remain secure.


“Rest assured, your money is safe.

Pakistani Fintech SadaPay earns pilot launch approval from SBP

“Reversing transactions across banks and our partner systems takes a little time, but our team is fully focused on restoring every affected balance back to normal within 48 hours max,” read the notice.

SadaPay (Private) Limited is a private limited company in Pakistan that provides financial services, including a Mastercard debit card and a digital wallet.

The development comes after a wave of complaints surfaced on social media, with users reporting unexplained negative balances and delays in customer support responses.

One user shared that their account balance unexpectedly fell into the negative despite no unusual activity, while another alleged receiving warnings via messaging platforms regarding account settlement.

Others criticised the lack of a timely response from customer support and the inability to deactivate accounts immediately without assistance.

Addressing concerns, industry professionals urged caution against panic, noting that SadaPay operates under the regulatory framework of the State Bank of Pakistan.

Hassaan Syed, lead data engineer at S&P and a former employee of SadaPay, said such operational disruptions do not imply fraud and are typically resolved once underlying issues are fixed.

“SadaPay is a regulated entity under the State Bank of Pakistan. The current operational hiccup isn’t a scam,” said Syed in a post.

“I have no idea when their team will have this sorted, but as with any regulated financial platform, the systems are built to ensure your money stays where it belongs.

“Once the external issue is resolved, we’ll likely see a return to normal service,” he added.
 
Telenor ka 5g spectrum license bik gaya Paktel ko. Zero competition, zero innovation. We are still not at PON/F.PON/FTtH penetration in major cities.

Thigar sector due to over taxation, nepotism and corruption.
 

5G rollout to boost youth empowerment, innovation: PM Shehbaz​


Says auction process conducted in transparent manner despite legal challenges

APP
March 19, 2026

prime minister muhammad shehbaz sharif in a group photo with owners of telecommunications companies who participated in the spectrum auction license ceremony on thursday credit government of pakistan x


Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in a group photo with owners of telecommunications companies who participated in the Spectrum Auction License Ceremony on Thursday. Credit:Government of Pakistan/X

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday said that the launch of 5G spectrum marked a major milestone for Pakistan, benefitting various sectors from agriculture and technology to industry.

Pakistan recently sold 5G spectrum worth $507 million in an auction aimed at boosting internet speeds. Telecom operators will launch 5G services initially in Islamabad and the provincial capitals, which will later be extended to other areas of the country.

In total, the government sold 480 MHz of spectrum, although it had originally targeted 597 MHz. Three telecom operators — Jazz, Zong and Ufone — secured frequencies to roll out next-generation mobile services.
 
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