Low fibre connectivity, high costs and policy bottlenecks continue to undermine Pakistan’s 5G rollout despite major investments and licence auctions.
KARACHI: Pakistan’s much-anticipated 5G rollout is facing a critical hurdle, as a severe shortage of optical fibre infrastructure continues to slow internet speeds across the country, frustrating users even in major urban centres.
Despite the launch of 5G services by leading telecom operators, including Jazz, Ufone and Zong, cities such as Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad are still grappling with sluggish connectivity. Conditions are even more challenging in remote regions like Azad Kashmir and Balochistan, where reliable high-speed internet remains largely inaccessible.
Pakistan’s average internet speed currently stands at just 25 Mbps, placing it at a low global ranking of 198th. Industry experts attribute this lag to insufficient fibreisation of telecom infrastructure, which is essential for delivering the high capacity and low latency required by next-generation 5G networks.
As of June 2025, only 18% of the country’s 58,423 cell sites were connected through optical fibre, according to official data. The majority of towers still rely on microwave links, which are incapable of supporting the performance demands of 5G technology.
Telecom specialists stress that expanding fibre networks is critical but faces structural and financial challenges. Fragmented right-of-way (RoW) approval processes across municipalities, cantonments and development authorities often delay fibre deployment by up to 18 months. Although the government has recently abolished RoW charges on key routes, bureaucratic inefficiencies remain a major obstacle.
High capital expenditure, inflation, low average revenue per user (ARPU) and heavy taxation further discourage telecom operators from investing aggressively in fibre rollout. Geographic challenges, including difficult terrain and flooding risks, along with a shortage of skilled labour for fibre installation, have compounded the problem.
Pakistan’s total fibre footprint exceeds 234,000 kilometres, including both long-haul and metro networks. However, experts argue that the current backhaul capacity is insufficient to meet growing digital demands, particularly for large-scale 5G deployment.
Telecom engineer Shakeel Muhammad noted that fibre expansion is a capital-intensive and technically complex process, especially in densely populated urban areas. He emphasised the need for coordinated investment by both the government and private sector, particularly through initiatives like the Universal Service Fund (USF), which has allocated Rs35.7 billion to support fibre network expansion.
He also highlighted a shortage of skilled human resources in the telecom sector, suggesting that operators may need to recruit foreign expertise to accelerate deployment of advanced 5G infrastructure.
Technology expert Dr Noman Said underscored the importance of a long-term hardware policy to enable local manufacturing of telecom equipment. Such measures, he said, could attract foreign direct investment, facilitate technology transfer and reduce reliance on imports.
Meanwhile, IT exporter Saad Shah pointed out that slow internet speeds continue to hinder Pakistan’s IT industry, affecting timely delivery of projects to international clients. He expressed optimism that improved 5G connectivity in IT parks could significantly boost export growth in the coming years.
Experts agree that without accelerating fibreisation to at least 60% of cell sites, Pakistan risks facing persistent capacity bottlenecks that could derail its digital transformation ambitions. They call for unified national policies, streamlined approvals and stronger public-private partnerships to fast-track fibre deployment.
Failure to address these structural challenges, analysts warn, could leave Pakistan trailing further behind in the global digital economy, despite its early steps toward adopting 5G technology.
About The Author
