Islamabad: The Economic Coordination Committee has approved recommendations from the Spectrum Advisory Committee concerning the Spectrum Auction. This announcement was made by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and Minister for Information Technology Shaza Fatima in a televised message.

According to Radio Pakistan, the Finance Minister stated that the spectrum auction recommendations will be presented to the cabinet for approval. He emphasized that the government is committed to accelerating the digital Pakistan program. Minister for IT, Shaza Fatima, revealed that the spectrum auction of 600 MHz is expected to be completed by the end of January or early February.

Shaza Fatima highlighted that the current 240 million population of the country operates on a 274 MHz spectrum, which causes internet connectivity issues due to congestion. She explained that the introduction of a new 600 MHz spectrum is crucial, marking the largest spectrum auction in the country’s history. This initiative aims to improve the quality of 3G and 4G services and facilitate the introduction of 5G technology in Pakistan.

The Minister for IT also outlined the Connect 2030 plan, which will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif soon. Under this plan, a minimum internet connectivity speed of 100 Mbps will be available to users over the next five years.