ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet has approved the auction of 5G spectrum as part of the government’s Digital Pakistan Program.
The decision was announced by Federal Minister for Finance Muhammad Aurangzeb during a joint press conference with Federal Minister for Information Technology Shaza Fatima Khawaja.
The finance minister said the government is accelerating efforts to promote digital transformation and economic growth across the country.
He emphasized that spectrum plays a vital role in financial and digital inclusion, adding that unauctioned spectrum represents a financial loss for the country. The approval was granted during the ECC meeting held on Tuesday.
Muhammad Aurangzeb stated that the Spectrum Advisory Committee engaged the services of National Economic Research Associates (NERA) as consultants.
NERA, under the supervision of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and other relevant institutions, conducted extensive consultations with stakeholders and reviewed past spectrum auctions at national, regional, and international levels.
According to the finance minister, the entire auction process has been designed in line with international standards.
Recommendations regarding spectrum pricing, payment terms, and auction design were carefully reviewed, keeping Pakistan’s economic interests in focus. Following this review, the ECC formally approved the recommendations.
