Spectrum Auction Delays Leave Pakistan Stuck with Slow Internet, Senate Standing Committee

The Senate Standing Committee on IT and Telecom has expressed serious concern over repeated delays in spectrum auctions, warning that the lack of additional spectrum is directly contributing to poor service quality across Pakistan. The committee has decided to summon the Frequency Allocation Board (FAB) in its next meeting to seek a clear explanation of the delays and ongoing legal hurdles.

During the latest session, officials from the Ministry of IT revealed that Pakistan is currently running its telecom networks on just 274 MHz of spectrum, far less than what is available in regional countries. This limited capacity, they noted, remains one of the biggest obstacles to improving call quality, mobile broadband speeds, and overall network performance.

The officials further explained that several spectrum-related cases are tied up in court, making it difficult for the government to move ahead with new auctions. When Senator Saifullah Niazi pressed the ministry to identify who initiated these cases, the IT Secretary admitted that the FAB itself was a party in the litigation, a detail that raised even more questions.

At this point, the committee dug deeper into the legal roadblocks. Ministry and PTA officials mentioned Sun TV as one of the litigants but failed to identify its owner. Even the legal member present admitted ignorance. The Committee Chairman, visibly frustrated, reprimanded the officials: “If you don’t know, then leave this committee and return only after finding out.”

It was left to journalist Kulb Ali of Dawn, present at the meeting, to reveal the name: “The owner of Sun TV is Aqeel Karim Dhedhi.” Senator Afnanullah added that while the media has long known this, government officials refrain from mentioning Dhedhi’s name out of fear. Senator Humayun Mohmand suggested that the businessman himself be summoned to the next session to explain Sun TV’s role in stalling spectrum allocation.

On the legal front, the ministry’s legal member added, “In my understanding, these cases have no resolution in the Supreme Court. An attempt should be made to settle the matter out of court. Right now, the cases are just ongoing in the courts; no stay orders have been issued.”

Committee members stressed that spectrum is a national resource, and its underutilization is holding back the telecom sector. With millions of users facing dropped calls, weak signals, and sluggish internet speeds, senators warned that unless the deadlock is broken, Pakistan’s digital transformation goals will remain out of reach.

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