GSMA to Host National Digital Summit in Islamabad on August 7 Featuring Key Industry Leaders
Pakistan is preparing to host a landmark event in its digital transformation journey. The National Digital Summit will take place on August 7, 2025, in Islamabad, marking a significant step toward building a connected and inclusive digital economy.
The summit is being organized by the GSMA, the global association representing mobile operators and digital ecosystem players. It will bring together senior government officials, telecom leaders, digital innovators, climate and finance experts, and international partners to explore how Pakistan can strengthen its digital infrastructure and unlock sustainable growth.
The National Digital Summit is expected to be attended by key figures, including the Minister of IT and Telecom, the Minister of Finance, the Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), and leading executives from the mobile and tech industry. Their presence underlines the government’s strong commitment to digitalization and cross-sector collaboration.
Held under the theme “Digitally Connected Pakistan: Innovation, Trust, and Resilience,” the summit will focus on three core pillars that are essential to Pakistan’s digital transformation. The first is Trust by Design, which will explore how API standardization and GSMA’s Open Gateway initiative can enable the development of secure, scalable digital services and foster innovation in public service delivery. The second area, Smart Infrastructure for Resilience, will examine the intersection of digital networks and climate preparedness, emphasizing the need for robust and adaptive infrastructure in national planning. Lastly, the summit will address Enabling Investment, with discussions centered around tax reforms, regulatory modernization, and strategies to attract long-term, sustainable investment in Pakistan’s telecom sector to ensure continued digital growth.
Event Highlights and Key Sessions
The summit will open with a welcome address by Julian Gorman, Head of Asia Pacific at GSMA, followed by keynote speeches from top government officials. One of the main sessions, “National Digital Transformation: Policy, Progress, and Cross-Sector Collaboration,” will feature top leaders, including:
- Zarrar Khan, Secretary, MoITT
- Aamir Ibrahim, CEO, Jazz
- Khurram Ashfaque, CEO, Telenor
- Sajjad Syed, Chairman, PASHA
The Chairman of PTA, Hafeez Ur Rehman, will present a regulatory perspective on building a resilient digital ecosystem. Special remarks will be delivered by Minister of IT & Telecom Shaza Fatima Khawaja.
The second session will explore “Trust by Design,” emphasizing the need for secure, interoperable digital platforms. Speakers from JazzCash, easypaisa, TikTok, NADRA, and FBR will discuss how public and private sectors can collaborate to build user trust in digital services.
A keynote on enabling technologies like 5G, AI, and cloud infrastructure will be delivered by industry leaders from Abacus, Zeta Technologies, and Huawei.
Another important panel will focus on investment challenges and opportunities. Topics will include taxation, regulatory reforms, and spectrum policy, which are all essential to making the telecom sector financially sustainable. Experts from PTCL, Ufone, The World Bank, and GSMA will lead the conversation.
In the afternoon, the summit will explore future connectivity models such as non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) and 5G. The discussion will highlight how these technologies can help bridge the digital divide, especially in underserved and remote areas of Pakistan.
The final session will focus on how innovation and inclusive technology can close the mobile usage gap. With a particular emphasis on women and rural communities, the summit will highlight real-world solutions such as digital ID systems, early warning mechanisms, and mobile-enabled services that drive climate resilience and socioeconomic inclusion.
Key contributors in this session will include leaders from Jazz, PTA, Kistpay, ConnectHear, and the RAAST Project.
The event will conclude with closing reflections on how policy, spectrum management, innovation, and investment can accelerate Pakistan’s digital future. A networking session will follow to encourage further dialogue and partnerships.
The National Digital Summit is poised to be a defining moment for Pakistan’s IT and telecom sector. By bringing together government, industry, and global partners, the event aims to strengthen the foundations of a resilient, inclusive, and forward-looking digital Pakistan.
Also read:
Mobile Phone Taxes Portal
Find the PTA Taxes on All Phones on a Single Page using our Taxes Portal.
Note: Mobile phone tax rates and calculations fall under the jurisdiction of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), not the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).
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