Body of Pakistani man killed in Christchurch shooting returned home

Relatives and devotees offer absentia funeral prayers for Mohammed Sohail Shahid, who was killed in the Christchurch mosques attacks in New Zealand, in Lahore on March 19, 2019. (AFP)
Updated 25 March 2019
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Body of Pakistani man killed in Christchurch shooting returned home

  • Syed Areeb Ahmed was among nine Pakistanis killed on March 15
  • Pakistan observed a day of mourning for the victims last week

WELLINGTON: The body of a 26-year-old Pakistani who was among 50 worshippers killed during attacks on mosques in New Zealand has arrived at an airport in the southern port city of Karachi.

Syed Areeb Ahmed was among nine Pakistanis who were killed on March 15 when a white supremacist shot people inside two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand.

On Monday, his sobbing father Syed Ayaz Ahmed, family members and government officials received his body.
Ahmed was an only son who had immigrated to New Zealand for work, according to his uncle Muhammad Muzaffar Khan.

Last week, Pakistan observed a day of mourning for the victims and honored another Pakistani, Naeem Rashid, who died along with his son after trying to tackle the gunman.

New Zealand's prime minister has announced a top-level inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the massacre of 50 people in two Christchurch mosques.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the country's highest form of investigation, a royal commission of inquiry, was appropriate for "matters of the gravest public importance."

Her Cabinet had previously agreed on holding an inquiry, but had not decided what kind of investigation would be held.

She said the Cabinet agreed Monday a royal commission of inquiry "will look at what could have or should have been done to prevent the attack."

An Australian white supremacist has been charged with murder for the March 15 attacks.


Pakistan sells 480MHz for $507 million in 5G spectrum auction

Updated 10 March 2026
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Pakistan sells 480MHz for $507 million in 5G spectrum auction

  • Mobile network operator Jazz buys 190 MHz, Ufone 180MHz and Zong 110MHz, says telecom authority chairman
  • Most mobile networks in Pakistan currently operate on fourth-generation (4G) infrastructure, while 5G rollout has faced delays

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has sold 480 megahertz (MHz) of fifth-generation (5G) telecom spectrum for $507 million, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) confirmed after a live auction on Tuesday, marking a key step toward introducing faster mobile broadband.

The live auction was organized by the PTA to determine which telecom operators would acquire the frequencies needed to deploy 5G mobile networks across Pakistan.

Pakistan, a country of over 240 million people, is one of the world’s largest telecom markets by population, with over 190 million mobile phone users. However, most networks currently operate on fourth-generation (4G) infrastructure, and the rollout of 5G has faced delays in recent years due to regulatory, economic and spectrum-allocation challenges.

“In total out of 595 MHz, 480 MHz spectrum has been sold today,” PTA Chairman Hafeez-ur-Rehman said in a speech aired on state media. “This is a very big achievement and a big victory for Pakistan, in my opinion.”

Chinese mobile operator Zong ‌bought 110 MHz of the 5G spectrum, while Ufone bought ⁠180 ⁠MHz and Veon-backed firm Jazz bought 190 MHz, Rehman announced.

“And the price in total for this is $507 million,” the PTA chairman said. 

According to officials, 5G services are expected to be rolled out first in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar and Quetta cities, before expanding nationwide as network infrastructure develops.

Information Technology Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja has previously said the government is also encouraging wider adoption of 5G-compatible devices, noting that about 95 percent of mobile phones used in

Pakistan are locally manufactured, while premium models such as iPhones and Google Pixel devices are imported.

Officials say Pakistan currently uses around 274 megahertz of spectrum, much of it allocated decades ago, while the new auction will make 600 megahertz of spectrum available for next-generation services.

Under the government’s rollout plan, telecom operators are expected to add roughly 3,000 new network sites annually to support the expansion of 5G services.

PTA officials say Pakistan currently offers some of the world’s cheapest mobile data services and have pledged that consumer protection will remain a priority as the country moves toward next-generation connectivity.