Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman, retired Major General Hafeez Ur Rehman, has announced that the federal government will hold a separate 5G spectrum auction for Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) within months of the nationwide rollout.
He made the remarks during a meeting with Gilgit-Baltistan Caretaker Minister for Information Technology Ghulam Abbas in Islamabad on Thursday.
The meeting focused on the proposed 5G auction and broader connectivity challenges in the mountainous region.
The Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) assured that both Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) would be included in the next phase of the 5G rollout.
During the discussion, the caretaker minister stressed the importance of extending next-generation telecom services to remote and mountainous areas alongside major urban centers. He said reliable high-speed internet has become essential for education, healthcare, tourism, business growth, and digital governance.
Ghulam Abbas highlighted that the youth in Gilgit-Baltistan have strong potential in the IT and digital economy but face limitations due to slow internet speeds and restricted bandwidth. He noted that the introduction of 5G services could significantly enhance freelancing opportunities, online entrepreneurship, and access to modern technological platforms.
The PTA chairman explained that technical assessments and administrative requirements for launching 5G services in geographically challenging areas are still underway.
The meeting also reviewed mobile network and internet service issues in remote regions, particularly weak signals in mountainous areas. Both sides expressed their commitment to improving telecom infrastructure to accelerate social and economic development through expanded digital connectivity.