Pakistan’s journey towards becoming a regional digital leader received a major boost as the GSMA hosted the second Digital Nation Summit in Islamabad. The summit brought together top government officials, telecom regulators, and industry leaders to push for critical reforms to unlock the country’s digital potential.
The event also marked the launch of GSMA’s latest report, Unlocking Pakistan’s Digital Potential: Reform, Trust and Opportunity, highlighting actionable steps to reduce the region’s largest mobile-internet usage gap. Despite 81% mobile broadband coverage and 68% smartphone ownership, only 29% of Pakistanis used mobile internet last year — exposing a 52% usage gap.
GSMA’s Head of Asia Pacific, Julian Gorman, emphasized that while Pakistan has the ambition to lead in digital innovation, it remains held back by policy bottlenecks, high spectrum costs, and sector-specific taxation. The report warns that unless urgent policy adjustments are made, Pakistan could miss out on the US $1.4 trillion digital opportunity forecasted for the region by 2030.
Federal Minister for IT & Telecom, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to inclusive digital growth. She cited recent milestones including a 14% boost in the ITU ICT Index, 10 million new broadband users, 40 new software parks, submarine cable expansion, and over 1,800 km of optic fibre projects serving underserved communities.
The GSMA report calls for spectrum reform, reduction in mobile sector taxation, and strengthening of digital trust and literacy—especially for women and rural populations. It also suggests regulatory streamlining and support for advanced technologies like 5G and IoT.
With the right regulatory framework and fiscal alignment, GSMA believes Pakistan can lead in tech services, outsourcing, and developer platforms across Asia Pacific. The call to action is clear: bold reforms are the key to shaping Pakistan’s digital destiny.
