GSMA Highlights Opportunities and Progress at Digital Nation Summit Islamabad

Pakistan Faces 'Highest Digital Usage Gap in Region,' GSMA Report Finds

The GSMA today hosted the second edition of its Digital Nation Summit Islamabad recognising the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT), the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), and the Pakistan’s mobile network operators for their tireless efforts and contributions toward advancing the country's digital landscape. 

During the summit, the GSMA published Unlocking Pakistan’s Digital Potential: Reform, Trust and Opportunity, a new report highlighting policy opportunities for the country to close one of Asia Pacific’s most significant mobile-internet usage gaps and position Pakistan as a regional digital leader.

GSMA: Pakistan Risks Missing $1.4 Trillion Digital Economy Boost

Speaking to key decision makers at the GSMA’s Digital Nation Summit in Islamabad, Julian Gorman, the GSMA’s Head of Asia Pacific detailed the key findings and recommendations from the report. He outlined how mobile technologies and services are transforming Asian economies and can contribute an additional US $1.4 trillion in gross domestic product (GDP) for the region by 2030. tHowever, he raised concerns that Pakistan risks missing out: although 81% of the country’s population is covered by mobile broadband and 68% own a smartphone, only 29% of people used the mobile internet las year, leaving a 52% usage gap – the highest among major regional markets.

Also read: TikTok Removes Over 1 Million Videos in the UAE During Q1 2025

“Pakistan has the talent, ambition and vision to be a digital powerhouse, but policy barriers are holding it back,” said Julian Gorman, Head of Asia Pacific, GSMA. “High spectrum prices, heavy sector-specific taxes and regulatory uncertainty are limiting investment at the very moment Pakistan needs affordable, high-quality connectivity the most. Reform is no longer optional – it is essential for economic growth, social inclusion and global competitiveness.”

Key findings, include:

• ·         Spectrum allocation opportunity: Pakistan has one of the region’s lowest allocations of IMT spectrum and its planned 5G multiband auction has been delayed.
• ·         Need for sustainable spectrum pricing: Across Asia Pacific, spectrum cost-to-revenue ratios rose from 3% in 2014 to 9% in 2023; excessive pricing in Pakistan threatens coverage and speeds.
• ·         Scope to rationalise mobile sector taxation: Combined taxes on mobile usage reach 33%, among the highest in the region, increasing consumer costs and suppressing demand.
• ·         Addressing the mobile usage gap: 52% of Pakistanis live under mobile broadband coverage but do not use it, reflecting barriers of affordability, literacy and trust.
• ·         Gender progress: Women’s mobile-internet adoption climbed from 33% to 45% in 2024 – the largest gain in any country surveyed – showing that targeted efforts can work.
• ·         Addressing rising digital fraud to build trust: Rising digital fraud is eroding trust; Pakistan’s participation in the GSMA APAC Cross-Sector Anti-Scam Taskforce (ACAST) is a positive step but needs scaling.

Pakistan’s Federal Minister for IT & Telecom, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, said: “Pakistan is not merely adapting to the digital age, we are shaping it with purpose and precision. Guided by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s vision, the Ministry of IT & Telecom is advancing a resilient and inclusive digital ecosystem where innovation drives economic growth and technology empowers every citizen.

“We are proud to position Pakistan among 37 nations with a WebTrust-audited National PKI, alongside achieving a 14% improvement in the ITU ICT Development Index. With over 200 million telecom subscribers, 10 million new broadband users, and a 24% increase in internet consumption, digital access is expanding at an unprecedented pace.

“Strategic initiatives such as the launch of AI-enabled data centres and cloud infrastructure, operationalization of 40 Software Technology Parks, deployment of new submarine cables, and 17 telecom projects extending 1,825 km of optic fibre to over 500 underserved areas reflect our commitment to connectivity, innovation, and inclusion. Through these efforts, we reaffirm our mission: to ensure no one is left behind in Pakistan’s digital transformation.”

GSMA outlines policy priorities in the report

To help further progress Pakistan’s digital acceleration the GSMA report outlines policy opportunities to speed advancement. First, the report calls for comprehensive spectrum reform. To support long-term digital growth, spectrum pricing strategies should balance revenue goals with affordability and network expansion needs. The report also recommends releasing additional mid-band frequencies, publish a clear multi-year roadmap and permit spectrum sharing and trading so that operators can use scarce bandwidth more efficiently.

Second, the report emphasises the importance of aligning fiscal policy with Pakistan’s digital-development goals. Reducing the heavy sector-specific taxes on mobile usage and rationalising duties on devices and services would lower consumer prices and stimulate demand. In parallel, targeted fiscal incentives - such as tax credits for infrastructure investment or R&D can help attract private sector capital and spur innovation across the digital ecosystem.

Third, building digital trust and inclusion is essential. Expanding anti-fraud initiatives like the GSMA’s APAC Cross-Sector Anti-Scam Taskforce and accelerating adoption of GSMA Open Gateway APIs will strengthen security, while dedicated digital-literacy programmes especially for women and rural communities can help close Pakistan’s 52 per cent usage gap.

Finally, the report recommends streamlining regulation to foster resilience and innovation. Creating a more predictable and resilient regulatory environment by reviewing network continuity policies and accelerating approval of “Always-On Network” solutions and adopting technology-neutral, innovation-friendly rules would create a more predictable environment in which 5G, IoT and future services can flourish.

“Asia Pacific is racing ahead on 5G, IoT and AI. With the right policy environment, Pakistan is well positioned to lead regional innovation in areas such as developer services and IT outsourcing,” added Julian Gorman. “Our report sets out a clear roadmap; the time to act is now.”

The full report Unlocking Pakistan’s Digital Potential: Reform, Trust and Opportunity is available for download at gsma.com.