KARACHI: Members of a Pakistani advisory committee on Monday met with telecom industry stakeholders and a global telecom body to discuss a roadmap for spectrum enhancement in the South Asian country, Pakistan’s Finance Division said.

The meeting was presided over by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and attended by federal ministers, senior officials of relevant ministries and regulators, representatives of leading mobile operators and Julian Gorman, head of Asia Pacific at GSMA.

The GSMA is a global organization that aims to utilize the mobile ecosystem to discover, develop and deliver innovation that is foundational to positive business environments and societal change, unlocking the full power of connectivity.

During Monday’s meeting, participants from the telecom industry and GSMA shared perspectives on advancing Pakistan’s digital transformation through an effective spectrum policy, according to the Finance Division.

“Discussions underscored the importance of spectrum in enabling growth of IT and telecom services, supporting exports, jobs, and wider digital adoption,” it said.

“Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb welcomed the insights of the industry and GSMA, appreciating the value of global best practices for Pakistan’s spectrum roadmap.”

The development comes amid Pakistan’s efforts to accelerate work on spectrum auction for expanding the telecommunication network and introducing 5G technology by Dec. this year as Islamabad eyes digital transformation in the South Asian country.

Pakistan lost nearly $1 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) in the telecom sector in just one year, with inflows plunging from $1.67 billion in 2021–22 to $750 million in 2022–23, according to an Asian Development Bank (ADB) report issued in July.

The decline reflected growing unease among investors about Pakistan’s digital infrastructure, wherein fixed broadband penetration was just 1.3 percent, and only 14.8 percent of cell towers were connected to fiber, making it difficult to meet rising data demands or prepare for 5G deployment.

Speaking at Monday’s meeting, Finance Minister Aurangzeb emphasized timely progress on the spectrum process to capture emerging opportunities for Pakistan’s economy and society, according to the Finance Division.

IT and Telecom Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja and Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar reaffirmed the government’s focus on enabling a “digitally connected Pakistan with inclusive, affordable and high-quality connectivity.”