Pakistan’s 5G rollout attracts $178.6mn investment from telecom operators
Wire desk byline Sourced from Xinhua, Dawn, Arab News, Anadolu and Minute Mirror. Translated and abridged by the GSRRA Desk.
- Data shows Jazz invested $59.67 million in 5G rollout up to June 2026, while Zong invested $98.9 million and Ufone an estimated $20 million
Telecom operators have invested around $178.6 million in rolling out 5G services in Pakistan, with 1,136 sites upgraded to 5G across the country, according to data shared by the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication.
The data shows that Jazz invested $59.67 million in 5G rollout up to June 2026, while Zong invested $98.9 million and Ufone an estimated $20 million.
The ministry said the government’s Policy Directive dated January 6, 2026, for the spectrum auction did not set any specific target for telecom companies to bring in foreign direct investment for 5G rollout.
According to investment projections provided by mobile operators, Jazz is expected to invest a further $30.33 million in 5G rollout during fiscal year 2027, while Zong has forecast an investment of $39.9 million during the year.
The ministry said Ufone’s fiscal year 2027 investment data would be shared after completion of merger-related activities.
Meanwhile, mobile operators have upgraded a total of 1,136 sites to 5G across Pakistan.
The development indicates that operators are making substantial investments in expanding next-generation mobile connectivity despite the absence of a specific government-mandated FDI target linked to 5G deployment.
The government had conducted the 5G spectrum auction in March 2026, paving the way for commercial rollout of next-generation mobile services in the country.
Reference Link:- https://www.brecorder.com/news/40435965
Zamir Ahmed Awan is the founder and Chair of the Global Silk Route Research Alliance, a think tank in Islamabad. He studied engineering at Shanghai University in the 1980s, and years later he went back to China as Pakistan's science counsellor in Beijing, from 2010 until 2016, working on science and higher education cooperation between the two countries.…
