While the initiative promises 100 Mbps fixed internet for every user and aims to elevate the country into the top 50 global speed rankings, experts warn that fragmented networks, limited fibre density, spectrum inefficiencies, and cybersecurity vulnerabilities could stall progress unless policy, investment, and execution align at scale.
The country is also targeting 80% fiberisation of mobile towers to enhance network capacity and reliability, and to improve Pakistan’s standing in the top 50 countries on the Ookla global speed rankings.
The initiative is being led by the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT) in collaboration with the World Bank, as part of the Digital Economy Enhancement Project (DEEP). The main objective of the programme is to enhance the government’s capacity to deliver digitally enabled public services for citizens and businesses.
To achieve its targets, the ministry is currently seeking to hire a consultancy firm to develop a roadmap for attracting investment within the existing policy framework.
The plan will also explore how Administrative Incentive Pricing (AIP) can be used as a complementary policy tool to promote efficient spectrum use and incentivise fibre deployment for backhaul and middle-mile connectivity, particularly to support 4G densification and 5G readiness. It will also clarify the complementary roles of fibre (long-haul, middle-mile, and deep access) and spectrum (last-mile wireless), ensuring that AIP discourages spectrum hoarding while encouraging sustainable, long-term investment in fibre-based infrastructure.
Syed Muhammad Taha Owais, a fibre-optic infrastructure specialist, said demand for high-speed internet is rising sharply in urban areas for both commercial and domestic use, which could boost business productivity and output.
“Pakistan ranks among the lowest globally for internet speeds due to obsolete infrastructure and the slow adoption of new technologies, particularly FTTH (fibre-to-the-home),” he said. All stakeholders, including the government and the private sector, should fast-track fibre deployment nationwide to improve connectivity and support the digitisation of business and governance systems.
Owais, a senior official at Optix Pakistan, underscored the importance of high-speed internet, adding that the deployment of fibre optic in commercial areas and posh localities has increased the uptake of internet and increased the performance of the businesses.
At present, Pakistan has over 211,000 kilometres of deployed optical fibre, including 75,967 km of long-haul and 135,506 km of metro fibre.
“For a technopreneur, fibre is not infrastructure; it is oxygen and digital power,” he said. This fiberisation plan is Pakistan’s launchpad. Every startup, every smart city, every digital service depends on it.
If Pakistan wants to leapfrog, not just catch up, then fibre to every home is non-negotiable, stated by Dr Noman A Said, an IT exporter. Pakistan cannot build an AI-driven, cloud-powered, data-centric future without deep fibre. “If we deliver this rollout with precision, we unlock a digital economy that outpaces our region; if we delay, we suffocate innovation before it begins,” he added.
Said commented that the key challenges which Pakistan must address are fragmented infrastructure and high capital costs, limited FTTH adoption, spectrum inefficiency and above all, a deep-sea fibre to cater for the requirements and cybersecurity as a non-negotiable layer.
Saad Shah, an IT exporter, said that the availability of internet speed through a modern and hi-tech infrastructure could not only improve the digitisation of the country, but it also improves the global image of the country as a reliable outsourcing country.
Pakistan could achieve its national goals of digitisation and export growth through speedy, uninterrupted and reliable internet services at an affordable cost, he added. The government achieved various milestones recently, including resolving the right-of-way issue, which will help the country achieve the smooth proliferation of fast internet.