Pakistan’s 5G user base has grown to around 1.8 million, with services now available in 24 cities, Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja told the National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecom on November 3, 2026.
What happened?
Commercial 5G services began in Pakistan in March 2026, following a spectrum auction held on March 10. The minister shared the latest user and coverage figures during a briefing to the parliamentary committee, where lawmakers also raised questions about uneven coverage and the quality of existing mobile networks.
Key details:
- Around 1.8 million people now use 5G in Pakistan, across 24 cities.
- The number of operational 5G sites has reached 1,782.
- In August 2026, officials had reported about 1.3 million users across 23 cities and more than 1,200 active sites, meaning roughly 500,000 users were added in under three months.
- Committee members pointed to uneven coverage, noting that Sukkur, the third-largest city in Sindh, has only two 5G sites.
- Lawmakers also asked about the quality of basic 3G and 4G services in areas still struggling with connectivity.
- The minister pointed to challenges including infrastructure theft and electricity-related problems affecting tower uptime, and noted that social media and artificial intelligence have sharply increased data demand.
- At the same meeting, PTA Chairman Major General (retired) Hafeez ur Rehman said Pakistan records 560 million YouTube video views every day, around 96 million people use the platform, Pakistanis make one billion WhatsApp calls daily, and about 150 million people watch TikTok videos.
What it means for people in Pakistan:
For mobile users, the growth shows real demand for faster internet, but the benefits are still concentrated in larger cities. Wider coverage, more affordable 5G phones and reliable existing 3G and 4G networks will decide how quickly people outside the main urban centres feel the difference.
