The future of 5G services in Pakistan has been uncertain for the past four and a half years. According to details that emerged on Sunday, despite repeated announcements and multiple deadlines, the service has not been launched, nor has any significant progress been made toward a spectrum auction.
The auction, initially scheduled for July and August of this year, could not be completed. Sources revealed that legal cases have emerged as the primary obstacle to the 5G rollout, leading to the postponement of the spectrum auction until December.
Sources with knowledge of the matter added that mobile operators had made a “clean spectrum” a condition for their participation. However, the government, despite various efforts, has failed to resolve the ongoing legal disputes.
The uncertain situation regarding the merger of Telenor and PTCL has also been identified as another major reason for the delay.
Documents from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) state that out of the 606 MHz spectrum offered for auction, 151.6 MHz is tied up in various legal disputes. The most contentious is the 2600 MHz band, where 140 MHz out of a total of 194 MHz is under dispute. Reportedly, 140 MHz is being held illegally by Southern Networks Limited, while a case concerning the spectrum usage by an international mobile company is still pending in court.
Senior officials from the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication said their goal was to hold the auction in July or August, but legal complications made it unfeasible. The officials stated, “Efforts are ongoing with the assistance of the Ministry of Law and the Attorney General of Pakistan to resolve these cases and ensure the auction can proceed by December 2025.”
