Pakistan’s telecom operators have invested nearly $178.57 million in 5G network deployment through June 2026.
The investment figures were shared with the Senate in a written response. Federal IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja submitted the details.
The response came after a question from Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri. The ministry said the figures came from mobile operators.
Zong Leads 5G Investment
Zong reported the largest investment among Pakistan’s three major operators. The company invested around $98.9 million through June 2026.
Jazz invested $59.67 million during the same period. Meanwhile, Ufone’s investment was estimated at around $20 million. Together, the three operators invested approximately $178.57 million in the rollout.
More investment is also expected during the 2026-27 financial year. Jazz expects to spend another $30.33 million. Zong has projected additional investment of around $39.9 million.
Ufone’s future investment figure was not provided. Its data is expected after the completion of merger-related activities. The government also clarified its position regarding foreign investment.
It said the January 2026 spectrum auction policy did not require operators to bring foreign direct investment for the rollout.
Over 1,100 Sites Upgraded Across Pakistan
The Senate was informed that 1,136 mobile sites had been upgraded to 5G across Pakistan. Punjab leads with 587 upgraded sites. Sindh follows with 262 sites, while Islamabad has 192.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has 64 upgraded sites, while Balochistan has 31. No upgraded sites were reported in Gilgit-Baltistan or Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
The network has expanded quickly since commercial services started in March 2026. Jazz, Zong and Ufone received authorization to launch next-generation mobile services during that period.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority adopted a phased rollout strategy. Expansion depends on network readiness, location and compatible devices.
Pakistan’s 5G Rollout Gains Momentum
The rollout accelerated after Pakistan’s March 2026 spectrum auction. Around 480 MHz of spectrum was sold for approximately $509.6 million.
Jazz secured spectrum valued at $239.38 million. Ufone acquired spectrum worth $156.75 million. Zong secured spectrum valued at around $113.47 million.
Jazz initially launched services through around 180 sites. Its first phase covered several major cities. These included Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta, Multan and Faisalabad.
Zong also introduced services in more than 16 cities. It announced plans for over 1,000 deployments or upgrades during 2026.
Despite this expansion, coverage remains focused mainly on large urban areas.
Fiber Infrastructure Remains a Challenge
Pakistan also faces infrastructure challenges as mobile networks expand. According to the Senate data, Pakistan has 10,499 fiberized mobile sites. The national fiberization rate stands at only 17.2 percent.
Punjab has 6,153 fiberized sites, the highest number nationwide. Sindh follows with 2,121 sites.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has 953, while Islamabad has 521. Balochistan has 417 fiberized mobile sites. Gilgit-Baltistan has 196 sites, while AJK has 138.
However, Gilgit-Baltistan has the highest fiberization rate at 36.3 percent. Islamabad follows with a rate of 30.4 percent. AJK has the lowest reported rate at 9.5 percent.
Fiber connectivity is important for supporting faster mobile networks. Strong backhaul infrastructure is needed to manage increasing data traffic.
The figures show that Pakistan is moving from spectrum allocation toward broader network deployment. Jazz and Zong alone expect another $70.23 million in investment during FY2026-27.
However, wider coverage remains an important challenge. Infrastructure gaps outside major cities could affect nationwide expansion.
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Future progress will depend on network investment, fiberization and broader geographic coverage. Affordability and reliable speeds will also determine the impact on consumers.
