Unlocking Pakistan's Digital Future: GSMA Highlights Opportunities and Progress at Digital Nation Summit Islamabad

ISLAMABAD, Aug. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The GSMA today hosted the second edition of its Digital Nation Summit Islamabad recognising the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT), the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), and the Pakistan's mobile network operators for their tireless efforts and contributions toward advancing the country's digital landscape.

During the summit, the GSMA published Unlocking Pakistan's Digital Potential: Reform, Trust and Opportunity, a new report highlighting policy opportunities for the country to close one of Asia Pacific's most significant mobile-internet usage gaps and position Pakistan as a regional digital leader.

Speaking to key decision makers at the GSMA's Digital Nation Summit in Islamabad, Julian Gorman, the GSMA's Head of Asia Pacific detailed the key findings and recommendations from the report. He outlined how mobile technologies and services are transforming Asian economies and can contribute an additional US $1.4 trillion in gross domestic product (GDP) for the region by 2030. However, he raised concerns that Pakistan risks missing out: although 81% of the country's population is covered by mobile broadband and 68% own a smartphone, only 29% of people used the mobile internet last year, leaving a 52% usage gap – the highest among major regional markets.

"Pakistan has the talent, ambition and vision to be a digital powerhouse, but policy barriers are holding it back," said Julian Gorman, Head of Asia Pacific, GSMA. "High spectrum prices, heavy sector-specific taxes and regulatory uncertainty are limiting investment at the very moment Pakistan needs affordable, high-quality connectivity the most. Reform is no longer optional – it is essential for economic growth, social inclusion and global competitiveness."

Pakistan's Federal Minister for IT & Telecom, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, said: "Pakistan is not merely adapting to the digital age, we are shaping it with purpose and precision. Guided by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's vision, the Ministry of IT & Telecom is advancing a resilient and inclusive digital ecosystem where innovation drives economic growth and technology empowers every citizen."

To help further progress Pakistan's digital acceleration the GSMA report outlines policy opportunities to speed advancement. These include a call for comprehensive spectrum reform, alignment of fiscal policy with Pakistan's digital-development goals, building digital trust and inclusion, and streamlining regulation to foster resilience and innovation. 

Read the full press release, report and policy recommendations: here.