GSMA slams Pakistan’s spectrum policy

GSMA has criticised Pakistan’s spectrum policy, warning that increasing the cost of spectrum is unsustainable and poses a significant threat to the future development of mobile services. GSMA, a global organisation representing mobile operators and entities across the mobile ecosystem and adjacent industries, has issued a paper emphasising that mobile network infrastructure is vital for Pakistan’s digital transformation, acting as the backbone for widespread connectivity and socioeconomic growth. It also highlights that countries such as the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Bangladesh, and Indonesia have more spectrum than Pakistan. GSMA stated that ‘Digital Pakistan,’ the government’s flagship initiative launched in 2018, aims to enhance digital infrastructure and facilitate the rapid delivery of innovative digital services. However, the country faces several challenges that threaten the sustainability and growth of its mobile infrastructure.