ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan said on Monday that he will be taking oath as prime minister of Pakistan on August 11, reported Radio Pakistan.
The party was asked to form a government in the center after it won the most number of seats in the July 25 general elections. PTI also won a two-thirds majority in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province and emerged as a strong runner-up in Punjab.
The PTI chief is currently actively engaged in forging alliances to form a coalition government in the center, Punjab, and Balochistan.
Talking to the newly elected members of KP Assembly, the prime minister-in-waiting said his nominated choice for the position of chief minister KP would be a “decision taken in the best interest of the people.”
He added that alleviation of poverty from interior Sindh is a top priority for the PTI government.
On Sunday, while speaking to the media outside Khan’s Bani Gala residence, PTI leader Naeemul Haq confirmed the PTI chief would be taking oath as prime minister before Aug. 14.
He also said that a possible venue for the oath-taking ceremony could be D-Chowk — a very important junction in Islamabad, leading up to the Presidency, the Prime Minister’s House, the Supreme Court of Pakistan, and the Parliament.
“Imran Khan would prefer a people’s ceremony of oath-taking where thousands can watch him take oath as prime minister of Pakistan.”
In August 2014, to protest against alleged rigging in the 2013 general elections, the PTI started a long march ending with a sit-in at D-Chowk. After reaching Islamabad, the protesters insisted on staying at D-Chowk until their demands were met. The sit-in lasted for 126 days.
“Perhaps the D-Chowk area may be the right place to do it (the oath-taking ceremony). Let’s hope so. Will keep on updating on this,” Haq reiterated in a statement released on social media.
All mainstream political parties have also agreed to attend the oath-taking ceremony, which is perceived as a “positive step,” said Haq.
According to the official results issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan, the PTI has emerged as the single largest political party in the National Assembly with 116 members.
“Imran Khan (is) working day and night to create the best possible team to run the country under a PTI government. The challenges of the economy, foreign policy, development, poverty, inflation (and) environment must be met and resolved on a priority basis. Inshallah the PTI govt will do it,” Haq said in his statement on social media.
Imran Khan to take oath as prime minister on August 11
Imran Khan to take oath as prime minister on August 11
- The prime minister designate may take oath in a “people’s ceremony” where thousands can watch him, hinted his party spokesperson, with a famous square in Islamabad as the possible venue
- The PTI chief is actively engaged these days forging alliances in an effort to form a coalition government in most parts of Pakistan
Pakistan announces 5G spectrum auction in March in bid to boost Internet speeds
- Pakistan has more than 130 million broadband connections, but access remains uneven despite increasing IT exports
- Pakistani Internet users currently operate on about 274 MHz of spectrum, compared to around 600 MHz in Bangladesh
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on Thursday announced that it will hold a 5G spectrum auction in March, a move aimed at improving Internet speeds and connectivity in the South Asian country.
The development comes at a time of mounting pressure on Pakistan’s telecommunication networks and Internet service providers, with users and businesses complaining of slow speeds and frequent disruptions as a limited spectrum struggles to serve the South Asian nation of over 240 million.
Pakistan has more than 130 million broadband connections but access remains uneven, though its IT exports reached a record $3.8 billion in Fiscal Year 2024–25, up from $3.2 billion the previous year, marking an 18 percent year-on-year increase, according to the Pakistan Software Export Board.
The PTA said the spectrum auction for Next Generation Mobile Services/5G will be held on March 10, following constructive regulatory coordination and extensive stakeholder consultations, aimed at ensuring a smooth, transparent, and well-participated auction process.
“The confirmed timeline provides telecom operators and prospective bidders with adequate preparation time and reflects PTA’s commitment to facilitating optimal participation while ensuring full alignment with procedural and regulatory requirements,” the authority said.
It urged all interested parties to review the information memorandum for NGMS/5G in Pakistan and stay informed through updates on the PTA website.
Information Technology (IT) Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja last month said the quality of Internet service in Pakistan is not at par with international best practices or even regional standards, and one of the fundamental reasons for this was the non-availability of the spectrum.
Pakistani Internet users currently operate on about 274 MHz of spectrum, compared with around 600 MHz in Bangladesh, that leads to congestion, she told a news conference on Dec. 23, likening the situation to “trying to run eight lanes of traffic through two lanes.”
She said the spectrum auction will help improve Internet services in the country.
