IT Ministry approves spectrum auction for Gilgit and Azaad Kashmir

Syed Amin-Ul-Haque, the Minister of Information Technology and Telecommunications, said on Wednesday that the ministry has finished preparing for the additional spectrum auction across the state, including Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.

The Federal cabinet authorized the spectrum auction at its meeting on July 27, the minister said in a statement. He said that an additional spectrum was being auctioned for AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan for the first time in the country’s history.

The county now has a 4G (fourth generation) facility, but with the new policy, residents will have access to a 5G (fifth generation) service. Both AJK and GB have 2G (second generation) mobile service, and residents in both areas have long wished for a better service, such as 4G, which is currently available in Pakistan.

According to him, the basic price for the 1800 MHz frequency is $31 million per MHz, while the price for the 2100 MHz frequency is $29 million per MHz. Amin stated that networking initiatives worth Rs 32 billion were in the works, and that revolutionary measures in the field of IT were being done to enhance online activity.

The minister stated that the ministry’s objective was to carry out the Prime Minister’s Digital Pakistan Vision, which included the provision of high-quality mobile and internet services across the country. He expressed his expectations that by auctioning the spectrum frequencies, the government will be able to raise millions of dollars in addition to providing improved services to the public.