Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja announced on Tuesday that Pakistan will roll out 5G services within the coming months, with the first phase covering seven major cities.
Speaking at the inauguration of the 26th ITCN Asia Expo in Karachi, the minister said steps were underway to strengthen digital infrastructure and improve internet reliability nationwide. She noted that information technology would be a key element of the recently signed Pakistan-Saudi agreement, which is expected to support economic growth and expand the country’s digital footprint.
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Her announcement comes despite earlier warnings by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), which highlighted financial and operational challenges in shifting to 5G. Pakistan continues to expand broadband and mobile services, yet experts caution the transition will not be without hurdles.
The minister said macroeconomic conditions had begun to stabilize, inflation had decreased, and Pakistan was gaining international recognition for its resilience. Under the “Digital Pakistan” initiative, she added, global technology rankings were improving.
Khawaja also confirmed cabinet approval of Pakistan’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) policy, with plans to train up to one million youth in AI and cybersecurity by year-end.
On complaints of poor connectivity, she attributed disruptions to submarine cable damage in the Red Sea, but assured that new measures were underway to expand capacity and fiberisation.
