Published on, Sept. 20 -- September 20, 2025 12:38 AM

Pakistan's dream of becoming a leading digital hub and achieving $25 billion in IT and digital service exports within the next five years is under severe threat as delays in the spectrum auction continue to stall the rollout of 5G technology. Experts, industry leaders, and international stakeholders are warning that the country risks losing billions of dollars in potential growth, jobs and investment unless urgent measures are taken.

Julian Gorman, Head of Asia-Pacific for the Global System for Mobile Association (GSMA), cautioned that Pakistan's digital vision cannot materialise without timely and transparent spectrum auctions. Speaking at a policy dialogue in Islamabad, he warned: ...