ISLAMABAD: With a large youth population and a growing pool of skilled professionals, Pakistan is well-positioned to become a regional hub for digital services, technology entrepreneurship, and high-value software exports, according to the Pakistan Economic Survey 2024-25 released on Monday.
“As Pakistan transitions to a knowledge-based, techno-economy, the IT and telecommunication sector will remain the leading driver of this transformation,” the survey said.
According to the survey at the end of March 2025, the total telecom subscriptions (Mobile and Fixed) reached 199.99 million, and total teledensity in the country reached 81.3 percent.
“PTA achieved remarkable progress vis-à-vis the nationwide expansion of telecom coverage, improving accessibility and connectivity for millions.
Cellular mobile services now reach 91 percent of Pakistan’s population, with 3G/4G signals reaching over 81 percent. By December 2024, there were 57,063 operational cell sites, 96.2 percent supporting 4G,” it said.
It said the telecom revenues of Pakistan reached PKR 803 billion in FY 2025 (July-March). Investments in the sector totalled US$ 621 million and contributed a substantial PKR 271 billion to the national exchequer in terms of taxes and duties during FY 2025 (July-March).
The survey said one of Pakistan’s strategic objectives is to provide affordable, high-quality services while ensuring that investors and operators receive a reasonable return on their investments.
It said Pakistan offers some of the world’s lowest and most budget-friendly telecom prices to its citizens. “The cost of 1 GB of data in Pakistan is a mere US$ 0.10, making it the lowest in the region and sixth lowest in the world,” it said.
Meanwhile, data usage in the telecom sector has seen a significant surge. “The combined data consumption from mobile and fixed broadband services in FY 2025 amounted to a substantial 27,897 petabytes (estimated), emphasising the pivotal role of broadband in Pakistan’s digitally connected society and the need for infrastructure expansion,” it said.
It said that the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has provided a level playing field for foreign investments in the mobile device manufacturing industry in Pakistan.
It noted that from January 2019 to March 2025, Pakistan manufactured a whopping 131.26 million mobile handsets (including 51.07 million smartphones), creating numerous job opportunities.
The survey further said the National Space Policy was approved by the Cabinet in December 2023, and is shaping the future of space activities and regulations in Pakistan.
In line with this policy, the development framework for Communication licensing Services is Satellite underway.
“Moreover, the framework is designed to facilitate the entry of Satellite Broadband players, particularly Next-Generation Satellite Orbits (NGSO) providers, into the market, fostering competition, expanding connectivity options, and driving advancements in satellite technology to meet the growing demands of modern communication networks,” it said.
The survey said the PTA successfully launched Pakistan’s first-ever Digital Gender Inclusion Strategy and its implementation at the Digital Nation Summit.
ALSO READ: Pakistan Secures Over $1.5 Billion in FY2025 to Tackle Climate Change: Economic Survey
The strategy addresses the barriers hindering women’s access to mobile and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) services and sets forth an accelerated action plan with an implementation roadmap, timelines, and measurable outcomes.
The survey added that the telecom sector is rapidly advancing towards 5G launch. “PTA initiated the process, aiming at a mid-2025 rollout.
Substantial infrastructure upgrades are underway to support 5G rollout, with PTA developing regulatory frameworks to attract investment and simplify operations,” it said.
It said that in September 2024, Pakistan achieved the Tier 1 (Role Modeling) rating and is now among the top 40 countries in the Global Cybersecurity Index 2024, issued by ITU, marking a notable improvement from its previous 79th position.
As per the survey, the development of Pakistan’s ICT sector can be gauged from more than 30,000 IT & ITeS companies registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), as of March 2025, comprising domestic and export-oriented enterprises.
ICT export of services has increased by US$ 541 million (23.7 percent) to US$ 2.825 billion (2,825 million) during FY 2025 (July – March), compared to US$ 2.284 billion (2,284 million), for the same period last year.
