Pakistan internet speeds have jumped 60 percent over the past two and a half years, Federal Minister for Information Technology Shaza Fatima Khawaja announced on 11 November 2026, adding that the country now counts roughly 1.8 million 5G subscribers and a live internet capacity of seven terabits per second. The figures paint a picture of real progress, but they also raise honest questions about what ordinary users are actually experiencing every day.
What the IT Minister Said at the Margalla Dialogue
Pakistan’s internet speed has increased by 60 percent over the past two and a half years, while fibre-optic connectivity has doubled. Speaking at the Margalla Dialogue, the minister said Pakistan’s internet data usage had increased by two terabits per second, taking the country’s total live internet capacity to around seven terabits per second.
Two new submarine internet cables have also been added to improve international connectivity, while the country’s fibre-optic network has expanded from three million connections to more than six million.
Shaza Fatima said Pakistan had also completed the largest spectrum auction in its history, offering 480 MHz of spectrum. This increased the country’s total available spectrum from 274 MHz to more than 750 MHz.
Pakistan 5G Users Reach 1.8 Million Across 24 Cities
Pakistan has around 1.8 million 5G users, with services now introduced in 24 cities. That is a meaningful jump from where things stood just three months earlier. By August 2026, 5G services had reached around 1.3 million users across 23 cities, with more than 1,200 5G sites activated during the first four months of the rollout. So the subscriber base grew by roughly half a million people in about three months, which shows the technology is picking up real momentum.
5G was officially launched in Pakistan on 19 March 2026, with Zong and Jazz being the first telecom companies to launch it in multiple cities. Zong reported a launch in more than 16 cities, including Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar and Quetta.
There is also an interesting gap in the numbers worth noting. As of mid-2026, 3.81 million 5G-ready phones were already registered in Pakistan, yet active 5G subscribers stand at 1.8 million. That means roughly half of all people with a 5G-capable handset have not switched to a 5G plan yet. This suggests the user base could grow quickly once coverage expands and prices stay flat. The government has confirmed there has been no increase in rates for 5G mobile services.
The Real-World Picture for Pakistani Users
The minister’s statistics are government figures, and it is fair to hold them alongside what users are reporting on the ground. Customers across different networks and regions continue to complain about slow internet speeds, and many say they have yet to notice any real improvement in their internet services.
Lawmakers raised concerns about the quality of existing mobile networks, questioning how Pakistan could move towards 5G when users in several areas were still struggling with basic 3G and 4G connectivity. One committee member said mobile internet services had deteriorated since the introduction of 5G, while another complained that even basic network services were unavailable in parts of Sindh.
Committee members also raised concerns about uneven 5G infrastructure distribution. The committee chairman pointed out that Sukkur, Pakistan’s third-largest city, has only two 5G sites. Another member noted that the 5G rollout in Sindh had mainly focused on Karachi.
The minister acknowledged that telecom services faced several challenges, including infrastructure theft. She said entire telecom towers, generators and diesel were sometimes stolen, affecting network operations.
These are not minor complaints. A 60-percent speed jump at the infrastructure level is real progress, but it means little to a user in a small city whose tower is running on overloaded 4G spectrum. The gap between national averages and local experience is the story that the headline numbers do not tell.
The Bigger Telecom Picture in Pakistan
Pakistan’s mobile phone subscriptions have reached approximately 210 million, as the country expands internet connectivity to support online services, technology exports and its growing digital economy.
Pakistan now has 167 million broadband subscribers as of September 2026, including 163 million mobile broadband subscribers and 4.2 million fixed broadband connections.
The minister added that rising data consumption from social media platforms and artificial intelligence is also putting more pressure on telecom infrastructure. That means the demand side of the equation is growing as fast as, if not faster than, the supply side.
For businesses and freelancers, faster and more reliable internet is directly linked to earning potential. Pakistan’s IT sector relies heavily on stable connectivity, and improvements in Pakistan internet speeds matter for remote workers, software houses, and the country’s growing e-commerce sector. If you want to understand how the government is tackling the cost side of this infrastructure push, the telecom power tariff reform backed by the PM is a key piece of the same puzzle.
The government says it is continuing to invest in digital infrastructure under the Digital Nation Pakistan vision, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif personally overseeing the initiative.
Frequently Asked Questions
By how much have Pakistan internet speeds improved?
Pakistan’s internet speed has increased by 60 percent over the past two and a half years, according to IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja. The country’s total live internet capacity now stands at around seven terabits per second.
How many 5G users are there in Pakistan right now?
5G services have been launched in Pakistan, with around 1.8 million users already subscribed to the technology. Services are currently available across 24 cities, with operators still expanding their networks.
When did Pakistan officially launch 5G?
5G was officially launched in Pakistan on 19 March 2026, with Zong and Jazz being the first telecom companies to launch it in multiple cities throughout Pakistan. The launch followed a spectrum auction on 10 March 2026 in which 480 MHz of spectrum was offered.
Why do many users still experience slow internet despite the improvements?
Lawmakers themselves raised concerns, questioning how Pakistan could move towards 5G when users in several areas were still struggling with basic 3G and 4G connectivity. Coverage is still concentrated in major cities, and infrastructure challenges like tower theft and power issues affect service quality in many areas. The national average speed figure does not reflect the experience of every user across Pakistan.
