Summary Pakistan is rapidly emerging as a regional digital hub in South and Central Asia, with its strong submarine and terrestrial fiber capabilities
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan was moving towards a complete digital revolution through effective initiatives and was cementing its position as a global information technology hub through IT and software technology parks, supporting infrastructure and a young and tech-savvy workforce.
In a message on World Telecommunication and Information Society Day, he said, “I pay tribute to all the individuals, experts, institutions, partners and international supporters associated with the telecommunications sector in Pakistan for their professional commitment.”
“This year, the theme of the World Day is Digital Lifelines: Strengthening Resilience in a Connected World. This title is fully aligned with our national vision of Digital Nation Pakistan. This vision consists of three fundamental pillars – digital economy, digital society and digital government, under which very effective steps are being taken,” he added.
He said, “National AI Policy 2025 is a revolutionary initiative that guarantees the development of the artificial intelligence ecosystem in Pakistan. The recent successful and transparent auction of 5G spectrum is undoubtedly a major milestone towards Digital Pakistan. It has helped immensely in aligning telecom and internet facilities with global standards. GSMA has described it as a model worthy of imitation for emerging economies,” he added.
He said, “The spectrum allocated for cellular mobile operators has now increased from 274 MHz to 754 MHz. The government is committed to the full and accelerated implementation of 5G in the country, the completion of the national fiberization policy and the promotion of local device manufacturing.”
“Telecommunication is also a very important and active sector of our economy, which is constantly attracting foreign investment, employment opportunities and a significant increase in annual income, which is a source of encouragement and satisfaction,” he remarked.
The Prime Minister said, “Pakistan’s digital infrastructure is developing rapidly. The country’s technical equipment and resource assets include more than 234,000 kilometers of fiber optic backbone, 6 modern submarine cables, 58 thousand cellular towers and more than 20 modern data centers. All these facilities are serving the country’s 205 million subscribers.”
“Moreover, Pakistan is rapidly emerging as a regional digital hub in South and Central Asia, with its strong submarine and terrestrial fiber capabilities. Pakistan is actively involved in the development of the CAREC Digital Corridor with regional partners,” he said adding, “An MVNO framework has also been introduced to promote competition and attract foreign investment. This will help accelerate the fiberization process. Progress is also being made on satellite regulations and Fixed Satellite Services (FSS) licensing to expand connectivity to remote areas.”
He said, “Significant progress has been made in providing voice and high-speed broadband facilities in backward areas, national highways and tourist destinations through the Universal Service Fund (USF).”
“Pakistan’s digital sector is also growing rapidly, with annual IT exports reaching $3.8 billion. This growth is due to proactive government policies, skill development initiatives like DigiSkills, INSPIRE (Semiconductor Human Resource Development Program) and a strong system of National Incubation Centers (NICs),” he noted.
He said, “Pakistan has achieved Tier-1 Role Model status in the ITU/UN Cyber ??Security Index. The recent significant improvement in Pakistan’s position in the UN’s 2024 e-Government Development Index (EGDI) and 2026 Global Outsourcing Talent Index is very welcome.”
“Pakistan is moving towards a complete digital revolution through effective initiatives in which the hard work and efforts of the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT), Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), cellular operators and all the institutions and individuals associated with the sector are commendable,” he added.
