Tech Desk 
Oct 10, 2025
The much-awaited 5G spectrum auction, expected to lay the foundation of 5G launch in Pakistan, has once again been delayed to the first quarter of 2026.
The development unfolded during a session in the National Assembly on Thursday, wherein officials revealed that the 5G auction would only commence once all key spectrum bands are fully available. Currently, 140 MHz of the 2600 MHz band remains tied up in litigation, out of a total of 194 MHz.
Once the required policy directive to conduct the auction is issued, it will take approximately three to four months to finalise and award the licenses, pushing the timeline for the auction to late 2025 or early 2026.
As part of the pre-auction measures, the government is laying the groundwork for releasing additional spectrum. To oversee the auction process, an advisory committee, chaired by the finance minister, was established on November 6, 2023.
The Frequency Allocation Board (FAB) has identified new frequency bands and released 606 MHz of additional spectrum across various ranges, in order to increase the available spectrum.
To facilitate the auction, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has enlisted the help of NERA, a US-based consultancy firm, which is responsibile to develop a comprehensive 5G spectrum strategy, conduct spectrum valuation, and design an investment-friendly auction model.
The government projects the upcoming auction to enhance Pakistan’s mobile broadband infrastructure, enabling telecom operators to expand high-speed networks and improve connectivity.
