Aseefa Bhutto questions 5G rollout as Pakistan struggles with poor 4G connectivity

Abdullah jan

Islamabad: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Aseefa Bhutto Zardari this week questioned the government’s plan to introduce 5G services, raising concerns over persistent problems with existing 4G networks and weak mobile signals across the country.

Speaking during a National Assembly session, Aseefa highlighted slow internet speeds in Nawabshah and other parts of Pakistan, arguing that reliable connectivity was essential for businesses, economic activity and other sectors increasingly dependent on digital services.

The First Lady also criticised Parliamentary Secretary for Information Technology Sabeen Ghauri during question hour after she failed to explain the details of 5G technology.

“If the parliamentary secretary does not know what 5G means, she can come and sit with us, and we will explain it to her,” Aseefa remarked.

PPP MNA Abdul Qadir Patel also questioned the rationale behind the proposed rollout, asking, “Has 4G died that 5G is being introduced?”

He complained that internet services had deteriorated since the current government came to power, adding to concerns about the quality and reliability of the country’s telecommunications infrastructure.

Responding to the criticism, Ghauri informed the House that the government planned to initially stabilise 5G services in 24 major cities before extending coverage to other areas.

She also acknowledged that 2G and 3G services were facing disruptions in certain locations because of security concerns and disruptive activities.

In a written response submitted to the National Assembly, the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication reported that Pakistan had approximately 210 million mobile users, including 161.7 million mobile broadband subscribers.

The ministry said proposals were under consideration to reduce taxes on mobile services, promote domestic smartphone manufacturing and permit duty-free imports of equipment required for 5G deployment.

The figures and proposed measures highlighted the scale of Pakistan’s telecommunications market as the government prepares for the next phase of mobile connectivity.

The ministry’s briefing also disclosed that Rs352.5 million had been approved for advanced research programmes, including Spark and Elevate, for the fiscal year 2026-27. However, no funds had yet been released for the initiatives through the federal budget or the Public Sector Development Programme.

The programmes are expected to offer grants ranging from Rs100 million to Rs200 million over 18 months to startups, universities and small and medium-sized enterprises.

The National Assembly was further informed about a proposal to establish a Pakistan Venture Capital Fund with an estimated cost of $20 million to attract private investment into information technology startups.

The debate over 5G deployment comes amid broader questions about the quality of existing mobile services, the affordability of connectivity and the government’s ability to ensure reliable internet access before introducing more advanced telecommunications technology.