Comment by Riaz Haq on March 10, 2026 at 9:13am

Pakistan completes milestone 5G spectrum auction | TelecomTV

The auction, conducted over three rounds of bidding held on 10 March, raised $507m for the government from the sale of licences for 480 MHz of spectrum across multiple bands, with the country’s mobile market leader Jazz (aka JazzWorld), a subsidiary of internal operator Veon, leading the way.

https://www.telecomtv.com/content/5g/pakistan-completes-milestone-5...

Pakistan has completed its 5G auction
The process has dramatically increased the spectrum holdings of the country’s three main mobile operators
Mobile market leader Jazz picked up the most spectrum, just ahead of Ufone
Good news for Pakistan’s 202 million mobile users – the country’s government has concluded its 5G spectrum auction, which increased the total spectrum available to mobile operators from 274 MHz to 754 MHz, heralding not only the introduction of 5G services but also better quality 4G connectivity and digital services.

The auction, conducted over three rounds of bidding held on 10 March, raised $507m for the government from the sale of licences for 480 MHz of spectrum across multiple bands, with the country’s mobile market leader Jazz (aka JazzWorld), a subsidiary of internal operator Veon, leading the way.

The country’s regulator, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), had put 597 MHz of spectrum up for grabs, with the country’s three main mobile operators – Jazz (aka Pakistan Mobile Communications Ltd), Ufone (Pak Telecom Mobile Ltd) and Zong (CMPak Ltd) – registered as qualified bidders.

All of the licences up for grabs in the 2600 MHz and 2300 MHz bands, regarded as prime 5G frequencies, were sold, while some were surplus to requirements in the 3500 MHz (also good for 5G services) and 700 MHz bands: None of the licences for 1800 MHz or 2100 MHz spectrum were sold.

Jazz, which ended January with 74.2 million mobile customers (36.6% market share), snapped up 50 MHz in the 3500 MHz band, 70 MHz in the 2600 MHz band, 50 MHz in the 2300 MHz band, and 20 MHz in the 700 MHz band, for a total of 190 MHz of spectrum: It will pay $239.5m for its licences, according to Veon.

Comment by Riaz Haq on March 11, 2026 at 2:28pm

Pakistan's 5G Auction Sets Speed Targets: Here's How Fast Your Internet Could Get

https://www.techjuice.pk/pakistans-5g-auction-sets-speed-targets-he...

• 4G download speeds for new users gradually increase from 20 Mbps to 50 Mbps.
• 5G aims for 50-100 Mbps for at least 20% of consumers by 2035.

Comment by Riaz Haq on March 30, 2026 at 9:31pm

VEON Subsidiary JazzCash Reaches 1 Million QR-Enabled Merchants Across Pakistan

https://www.thefastmode.com/technology-solutions/47881-veon-subsidi...

VEON announced that its subsidiary JazzCash has onboarded its 1 millionth Raast QR-enabled merchant, marking a major milestone in Pakistan’s journey toward a cashless and digitally inclusive economy.

Raast is Pakistan's national instant payment system – a digital payments infrastructure launched by the State Bank of Pakistan in 2021. Raast enables interoperability across Pakistan’s financial sector, empowering merchants by accelerating the use of digital payment tools such as QR codes to advance digital financial inclusion in the country.

With one million Raast QR enabled merchants, JazzCash powers Pakistan’s largest digital payment acceptance network, digitizing everyday commerce across corner shops, micro-entrepreneurs, retailers and online businesses alike.

Kaan Terzioglu, VEON CEO, and Aamir Ibrahim, JazzWorld CEO and JazzCash Chairman, onboarded Behbud Crafts today in Islamabad. The merchant is a retail outlet operated by Behbud Association, a pioneering non-profit organization dedicated to empowering women through vocational training, education, and sustainable livelihoods.

JazzCash serves a registered customer base of 58 million and has processed more than PKR 15 trillion in transaction value in 2025 – roughly USD 53 billion, or the equivalent of 13% of Pakistan’s GDP. Through its growing network of merchants, QR payments, digital lending, and integration with Raast, JazzCash is helping formalize Pakistan’s economy while creating new opportunities for entrepreneurs, including women-led enterprises.

Comment by Riaz Haq on May 8, 2026 at 9:52am

Pakistan has secured a leading position in a global IT skills ranking, surpassing more than 70 countries across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. The achievement is being seen as a major milestone for the country’s growing digital sector and expanding tech talent.

Programs such as the SCO Software Technology Park and Cisco Networking Academy, along with over 100 IT centers in regions including Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, have helped train thousands of young professionals. Experts believe this progress highlights Pakistan’s strong potential in freelancing, remote work, innovation, and global digital competitiveness.

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Former NADRA Chairman Tariq Malik has been named one of the world's top 25 identity leaders by US-based cybersecurity company Okta.
The prestigious international recognition honors his sustained contributions to software creation, standards evolution, and making digital transactions safe globally.
To commemorate this major tech achievement, Malik was prominently featured on the iconic Nasdaq billboard in Times Square, New York City.
During his recognition, Malik emphasized the crucial convergence of digital identity, data security, and artificial intelligence into a unified global trust layer.
He currently serves as a technical adviser to the World Bank’s Identification for Development program, continuing his work on large-scale digital public infrastructure.

Comment by Riaz Haq on July 24, 2026 at 6:41pm

Profit
@Profitpk
Since 2022, Pakistan has built more genuine economic infrastructure than at almost any point in recent history: an instant payments system moving Rs23.3 trillion a quarter, a record $4.6 billion in IT exports, freelancer earnings up 78 percent to $1.76 billion, SME bank financing up 46 percent in a single year, and a Prime Minister personally signing digital trade agreements with Alibaba that are already putting thousands of Pakistani sellers in front of global buyers. Manufacturing clusters from Sialkot to Faisalabad continue to anchor billions of dollars in exports on their own. This is a strong, government built foundation. What follows is not a critique of that record. It is the case for its logical next phase.

With payments, remittances, and digital trade are running at record scale, it is high time to give all seven million of the country's SMEs, factories and freelancers alike, the same rails, and why 2026 is the moment to finish the job. This week’s visual investigation lays out the blueprint:

https://x.com/Profitpk/status/2080198773888721350?s=20

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Profit Magazine is Pakistan's leading business and economic publication, frequently covering the country's small and medium enterprises (SMEs), financial markets, and economic growth indicators. [1, 2]
Key Economic and SME Insights
SME Contribution: Pakistan's estimated 5.2 to 7.14 million small and medium enterprises contribute roughly 40% to the national GDP and account for over 30% of exports. [1, 2]
Employment: The SME sector drives close to 80% of all non-agricultural employment in the country. [1, 2]
Financing Updates: State Bank of Pakistan data indicates SME financing reached Rs 853.94 billion, with active borrowers expanding significantly. [1]
Formalization: Programs via the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) target better access to finance and digital registration portals for business growth.

https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2026/07/21/pakistan-already-bui...

Pakistan Already Built Half the Operating System
Payments, remittances, and digital trade are running at record scale. This is the blueprint for giving all seven million of the country's SMEs, factories and freelancers alike, the same rails, and why 2026 is the moment to finish the job.
By Faizan Siddiqi

Comment by Riaz Haq on July 26, 2026 at 1:50pm

Pakistan Sees Sudden 6x Jump in Credit Card ATM Transactions
By Business Desk | Published Jul 26, 2026 | 8:06 pm

https://propakistani.pk/2026/07/26/pakistan-sees-sudden-6x-jump-in-...

Pakistan’s credit card market recorded its largest-ever quarterly growth, with the number of cards in circulation jumping by 900,000 in just three months, according to Gallup Pakistan’s Digital Analytics Dashboard based on data from the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).

The total number of credit cards increased from 2.2 million in FY25 to 3.1 million in Q1 FY26 (July-September 2025), up by 44 percent.

The addition exceeds the total net growth recorded over the previous six years, during which the credit card base rose from 1.6 million to 2.2 million.

The surge coincided with a sharp rise in credit card usage. SBP data shows the value of credit card transactions at ATMs increased nearly sixfold during the same quarter.

Despite the unprecedented jump, no major bank, fintech, or financial institution publicly announced a large-scale credit card issuance campaign during the period.

The increase could be linked to a major card issuance, a regulatory reclassification of certain card products, or the launch of new credit-based payment products. SBP hasn’t revealed anything on this so far.

Debit cards continue to dominate Pakistan’s payment landscape, accounting for around 90% of the country’s 61.3 million payment cards, while credit cards represent about 4 percent.

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Credit card growth in Pakistan is experiencing a sudden shift, jumping from a stagnant base of 2.2 million to 3.1 million cards in late 2025, driven by rising fintech adoption and digital banking integrations. Despite this growth, total penetration remains exceptionally low relative to the country's population. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Market Statistics and Recent Surge
Base Expansion: Stagnated around 1.6 million to 2.2 million cards between FY20 and FY25, before a single-quarter jump to 3.1 million in Q1 FY26 (July–September 2025). [1]
Transaction Activity: ATM credit card transaction values spiked nearly 6x during the Q1 FY26 surge, confirming active utilization rather than passive issuance. [1]
Overall Market Share: Debit cards still heavily dominate, making up roughly 90% of Pakistan’s 61.3 million total payment cards. [1]

Comment by Riaz Haq on July 31, 2026 at 6:35pm

New Connectivity Plan Proposed to Boost Internet in Remote Areas

https://www.techjuice.pk/new-connectivity-plan-proposed-to-boost-in...

The federal government wants to bridge the digital divide. Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Cheema recently chaired a crucial meeting. He discussed the proposed National Connectivity Plan. Minister for IT & Telecom Shaza Fatima Khawaja and several senior officials also attended this session. Primarily, the meeting focused on expanding high-speed internet access. The government wants to connect villages, remote areas, and small towns. Consequently, this move will unlock massive new economic opportunities across the country.

A Connectivity Plan to Empower Freelancers & Digital Professionals

Currently, slow and unreliable internet creates major hurdles for remote workers. Therefore, Federal Minister Ahad Cheema highlighted the government’s top priority. Authorities aim to facilitate freelancers, e-commerce entrepreneurs, and other digital professionals living in remote regions. The government will take all necessary measures to ensure affordable, high-speed internet services. As a result, every citizen can fully participate in the growing digital economy.

Furthermore, the session highlighted the critical importance of 5G infrastructure. Next-generation fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) networks will also drive national economic growth. Ultimately, these crucial upgrades will create jobs and foster nationwide digital inclusion.

Ambitious Infrastructure Targets

Pakistan is already experiencing strong momentum in digital development. Officials noted steady growth in FTTH subscriptions, which currently stand at 2.8 million. Moreover, the country boasts a robust fiber footprint of 234,000 kilometers. The current infrastructure includes 5.1 million house passes and six operational submarine cables.

To build upon this solid foundation, the government outlined highly ambitious national targets. The plan seeks to expand the infrastructure to 10 million house passes. Additionally, the government aims to raise average fixed broadband download speeds to 85 Mbps. Authorities also plan to increase tower fiberization to 60 percent. Consequently, these specific efforts aim to secure the country a spot among the world’s top 50 countries for broadband performance.

Strategic Reforms & Tax Relief

The meeting placed a massive emphasis on digital affordability. Participants actively considered targeted tax relief for internet users living in remote areas. This key decision will significantly expand digital participation.

Additionally, officials discussed several strategic reforms. The government plans to abolish right-of-way fees. Authorities will also launch a single-window approval portal and introduce district-level licensing. Furthermore, the plan makes fixed broadband connectivity mandatory across all public institutions, schools, and health facilities.

To ensure swift execution, the government will finalize the National Connectivity Plan expeditiously through comprehensive stakeholder consultation. Cheema stressed the need for a highly structured and sequenced approach. The government will prioritize essential regulatory reforms and enforce clear operator obligations. Moreover, officials will link financial support directly to verified performance milestones. This strategy will accelerate nationwide fiber deployment. At the same time, it will successfully safeguard public resources and ensure long-term commercial viability.

Comment by Riaz Haq on August 10, 2026 at 10:05am

Pakistan Building A Digital And Green Future - OpEd - Eurasia Review

https://www.eurasiareview.com/10082026-pakistan-building-a-digital-...

By Dr. Hamza Khan

Pakistan’s youth bulge and three concurrent transitions—digital export growth, decentralised solar power, and data-driven agriculture—create an opportunity to link these sectors into a single, higher-productivity development model.
ICT exports and freelancing are already generating multi-billion-dollar inflows and a trade surplus, while rapid solar expansion (now supplying a majority of low-carbon power) can cut costs for firms and farms if storage, grids and pricing keep pace.
Agri-tech focused on water efficiency, satellite intelligence and inclusive digital platforms can raise farm incomes and resilience, but success depends on institutions that turn parallel gains into a connected system rather than isolated privileges.


Pakistan’s development debate is often trapped between crisis management and distant promises. A better reading of the country in 2026 is that three transitions are already underway: services are becoming digitally exportable, electricity is becoming decentralised and low-carbon, and agriculture is acquiring a data layer. The 2023 national census confirms an overwhelmingly young society, with roughly three-fifths of citizens below 25. That youth bulge can become either an employment burden or the workforce of a new production model.

The opportunity is not to celebrate IT, solar power and agri-tech separately, but to connect them. Digital exports can ease Pakistan’s foreign-exchange constraint; distributed energy can reduce costs for firms and farms; and data-driven agriculture can raise productivity while conserving water. According to the Pakistan Economic Survey’s technology chapter, Pakistan had 207.22 million telecom subscriptions and 160.9 million broadband connections by March 2026. The latest technology-export figures show receipts reaching approximately US$4.18 billion during July-May, FY2025-26, about 20 percent higher year on year, with US$373 million earned in May.

Digital Exports: Moving Beyond Low-Cost Labour
Technology is no longer peripheral. The Economic Survey records 34,420 registered IT and IT-enabled-services companies by March 2026. ICT exports produced a US$2.91 billion trade surplus during July-March, 86 percent of sectoral receipts, while verified technology-related freelancer inflows reached US$856.3 million in nine months and exceeded US$1 billion by May. This transaction-based figure is more defensible than broader US$1.6 billion estimates that may include additional categories.



Pakistan must now move freelancers and software houses from one-off assignments towards recurring contracts in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, cloud services, gaming, fintech and business-process engineering. DigiSkills has delivered more than 5.51 million trainings, but scale must be matched by recognised certification, communication skills, intellectual-property protection and dependable connectivity. The Digital Nation Pakistan Act 2025provides a framework for digital public infrastructure and data governance. Its value will depend on whether firms can securely verify identities, receive payments, obtain credit and access public services efficiently.

Comment by Riaz Haq on August 10, 2026 at 10:06am

Pakistan Building A Digital And Green Future - OpEd - Eurasia Review

https://www.eurasiareview.com/10082026-pakistan-building-a-digital-...

By Dr. Hamza Khan

Solar Power as Industrial Policy
Pakistan’s solar expansion is among the world’s most striking bottom-up energy transitions. A REN21 assessment estimated that net-metered rooftop capacity reached 5.3 GW by April 2025, nearly ten times its level two years earlier. Ember’s latest country dataindicate that low-carbon sources supplied 55 percent of Pakistan’s electricity in 2025. The recommended scenario in the IGCEP 2025-35 projects renewables, including hydropower, producing 69 percent of electricity by 2034-35, with solar and wind supplying 10 percent each.



Solarisation should be treated as industrial policy, not simply climate policy. Affordable daytime electricity can power software campuses, cold chains, food processing, electric mobility and small manufacturing. The danger is a two-tier system in which affluent consumers leave the grid while poorer households inherit fixed capacity costs. Pakistan needs storage, stronger distribution networks, time-of-use pricing and incentives for productive daytime demand. The transition will last only if it lowers economy-wide costs rather than shifting them between consumers. Pakistan’s own generation plan warns that after 2027, thermal plants alone may be unable to manage the ramping pressures created by rising solar integration, strengthening the case for battery storage and grid modernisation.

Agri-Tech: The Critical Convergence Test
The FY2025-26 agriculture survey reports that agriculture contributed 23.44 percent of GDP and grew by 2.89 percent. Yet surface-water availability was 92 million acre-feet, 11.1 percent below average system usage. Agri-tech must therefore focus on resource productivity, not fashionable hardware. Satellite crop intelligence, moisture sensors, weather forecasting, precision fertiliser use, digital marketplaces and solar-powered cold storage can reduce waste and improve margins. Solar irrigation, however, must be paired with groundwater monitoring or cheaper pumping could accelerate aquifer depletion.



The National Agri Stack roadmap offers an architecture based on verified farmer identities, integrated land data, satellite intelligence, digital payments, credit, crop insurance and market links. Three to four pilots were prioritised for the first 12-18 months. Inclusion will be decisive: tenant farmers, women, sharecroppers and farmers without clear land titles must not disappear from a system built around formal records. Success should mean higher incomes, lower post-harvest losses, improved water efficiency and faster finance, not merely more registered users.

From Parallel Successes to One Production System
Pakistan can create a circular development model: digitally skilled workers generate export income; renewable power lowers production costs; and digital platforms help agriculture use energy, water, finance and logistics more efficiently. This convergence can narrow the urban-rural divide because software, payments, advisory services and distributed electricity can reach places where large industrial investment may not. It also offers Pakistan a new export identity, one based not only on goods produced domestically, but on knowledge, digitally enabled services and climate-smart agricultural value chains.



The country is not guaranteed a digital and green future; it must build the institutions that make one possible. That requires stable internet, competitive energy markets, interoperable public data, cybersecurity, technical education, patient capital and transparent regulation. Pakistan’s most promising transformation is not any single sector, but a connected system in which code earns foreign exchange, clean power reduces vulnerability and intelligence applied to farms strengthens food security. The future will be secured when digital capability and green infrastructure become instruments of mass productivity rather than islands of privilege.

Comment by Riaz Haq 17 hours ago

USF Connects 16.2m People, Deploys 10,400km OFC in Five Years.
The projects expanded broadband access across thousands of underserved areas. Fibre deployment also connected 947 previously unserved

https://www.techjuice.pk/usf-connects-16-2m-people-deploys-10400km-...

The Universal Service Fund (USF) has expanded voice and broadband access to more than 16.2 million people. The projects covered over 9,400 underserved and unserved mauzas during the last five fiscal years.

The figures were shared by Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja. She provided the details in a written reply to the National Assembly.

During FY2022-26, USF projects delivered voice and broadband data services across more than 9,400 mauzas. The programme also helped bring broadband to areas where telecom operators lacked a strong business case.

USF also expanded coverage along more than 1,000 kilometres of unserved roads. These included sections of national highways and motorways. The projects also covered eight tourist destinations and around 50 kilometres of access routes.

The fund deployed more than 10,400 kilometres of optic fibre cable (OFC) during the same five-year period. This work connected 947 unserved tehsil headquarters, union councils and towns.

Since its launch, USF has reached more than 38.4 million people across over 22,100 mauzas. It has also covered more than 2,500 kilometres of previously unserved road segments.

The fund has connected eight tourist destinations and about 50 kilometres of access routes. Its total OFC deployment has also crossed 18,300 kilometres since inception.

USF was established under Section 33(A)(1) of the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organization) Act, 1996. Its main goal is to extend telecom services to rural, remote and underserved communities.

The programme initially focused on voice and basic data services through 2G networks. It later expanded to high-speed broadband through 3G and 4G networks.

The government said better connectivity is also supporting education, healthcare and emergency services. It is helping improve financial inclusion, e-governance and access to economic opportunities.

The ministry said USF remains important in areas where commercial telecom deployment is difficult. It will continue targeting unserved and underserved communities through broadband and fibre projects.

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