Pakistan 5G expansion has crossed a major milestone, with 5G services now live at more than 1,700 sites across 24 cities, IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja announced on October 20, 2026. Speaking as a keynote speaker at the Global AI and Digital Summit 2026 in Seoul, South Korea, she said this has been achieved within just six months of the country’s historic spectrum auction, and that average 5G speeds are now hitting 130 Mbps.
That figure has not been widely reported yet, and it matters: 130 Mbps is fast enough to stream 4K video, run cloud apps, and support small businesses that depend on mobile data.
Pakistan 5G Expansion: From Auction to 24 Cities in Six Months
Back on March 10, 2026, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) held the country’s first 5G spectrum auction. Three operators took part: Jazz, Zong, and Ufone. Together they bought 480 MHz of spectrum across multiple frequency bands for about $509.6 million, roughly Rs 142.6 billion. Jazz spent the most at around $239 million, followed by Ufone at $157 million and Zong at $113 million.
The rollout since then has moved fast. By mid-July 2026, there were 449 active 5G sites across 22 cities. By early August, that number had jumped to over 1,100 sites in 23 cities. Now, just over six months after the auction, the count stands at 1,700 sites in 24 cities. That is nearly a fourfold increase in three months.
What the Minister Said in Seoul
Federal Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja made the announcement while speaking as a keynote speaker at a high-level panel session at the Global Digital and AI Summit in Seoul, South Korea. The summit was hosted by the World Bank Group together with South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT, running from October 19 to 22.
Within six months of the auction, 5G services were launched at more than 1,700 sites across 24 major cities, delivering average speeds of 130 Mbps, while download speeds across the country increased by 68.1% over the past two years.
She also noted that Pakistan has deployed more than 234,000 kilometres of optical fibre nationwide, and that the government removed Right of Way (RoW) charges across the country to cut the cost of obtaining permissions for fibre deployment.
Beyond 5G, the minister shared another big development: Pakistan is set to become the first country to sign the Digital and AI Compact at the Global AI and Digital Summit 2026 in South Korea.
How Each Operator Is Contributing
The three operators are not expanding at the same pace. Based on PTA data from early August 2026, Jazz had deployed 689 5G sites, followed by Zong with 338 sites and Ufone with 109 sites. Jazz alone accounted for about 60.7% of all deployed 5G sites at that point.
The largest 5G deployments were recorded in Karachi with 257 sites, followed by Islamabad with 192 sites, Lahore with 241 sites, and Faisalabad with 131 sites at that time. With the network now at 1,700 sites overall, the gap between major cities and smaller ones is likely wider.
Each mobile operator is required to install 2,000 sites during the first phase, alongside upgrading at least 20% of their existing 4G infrastructure to 5G in federal and provincial capitals. That means all three operators still have a long way to go to meet their full licensing obligations.
What This Means for Everyday Users in Pakistan
For most Pakistanis, 5G is still something they read about rather than use. Pakistan has over 190 million mobile phone users, but most networks currently operate on 4G infrastructure, and the rollout of 5G has faced delays in recent years due to regulatory, economic, and spectrum-allocation challenges. So the progress made since March is real and worth noting.
The 130 Mbps average speed is a big step up from typical 4G speeds in Pakistan. But coverage is still heavily concentrated in big cities. If you live in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, or Faisalabad, you have a decent chance of finding a 5G signal. If you are in a smaller city or rural area, you will likely be waiting. One PTA official warned earlier this year that if deployment continues at a slow pace, nationwide 5G rollout may not be completed until 2035. The latest acceleration is a good sign, but the work is far from done.
For more context on how Pakistan’s telecom regulator is monitoring network quality across the country, see how PTA is taking its telecom gap checks to the field in 2026.
The broader picture is also promising. The auction comes at a time when Pakistan is seeking to accelerate digitalisation across key sectors including industry, healthcare, education, and financial services. The Ministry of Finance has noted that 5G technology is expected to significantly enhance internet speeds, reduce latency, and create new opportunities for innovation and investment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many 5G sites does Pakistan have now?
As of October 20, 2026, Pakistan’s 5G expansion has reached more than 1,700 active sites. This was confirmed by IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja at the Global AI and Digital Summit in Seoul.
Which cities have 5G in Pakistan?
5G is now available in 24 cities. The biggest deployments are in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and Faisalabad. Smaller cities like Multan, Peshawar, Quetta, Sialkot, and Gujranwala also have some coverage, though with far fewer sites.
What speed does Pakistan’s 5G offer?
The IT minister stated that Pakistan’s 5G network is delivering average download speeds of 130 Mbps. Overall national internet download speeds have also risen by 68.1% over the past two years.
Which operator leads Pakistan’s 5G rollout?
Jazz leads the rollout by a wide margin, having deployed the most 5G sites. Zong is second and Ufone is third. Each operator is contractually required to deploy at least 2,000 sites in the first phase of the rollout.
