ISLAMABAD: Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb on Tuesday said the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) has approved key recommendations for the upcoming spectrum auction, terming it a major step toward promoting digital and financial inclusion in the country.
Addressing a news conference after the ECC meeting, alongside Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja, the finance minister said that the digital transformation was central to Pakistan’s economic growth agenda.
“When we talk about digital, it is very simple, it is faster, cheaper and better,” Aurangzeb said, adding that digital inclusion and financial inclusion were critical components of the country’s growth paradigm.
He said that spectrum was a vital enabler of this process and warned that unsold spectrum directly translated into economic loss.
The minister said a special committee, which he chaired and included the IT minister and the chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), had worked extensively over the past year on the spectrum auction framework.
He said the committee engaged a renowned international consultant, National Economic Research Associates (NERA), to conduct in-depth analysis and stakeholder consultations.
Aurangzeb said NERA carried out detailed engagement with telecom operators, user focus groups and the PTA, while also
reviewing international and regional benchmarks of spectrum auctions.
“They studied how auctions have been conducted globally, on what terms and conditions, and based on that analysis provided comprehensive recommendations,” he added.
He said the recommendations covered critical aspects such as spectrum pricing, payment terms and auction design, and were carefully reviewed with Pakistan’s economic and market realities in view.
“Today, the ECC has approved those recommendations, which we adopted as Pakistan’s first lens for the upcoming spectrum auction. With this approval, we now look forward to a successful auction,” Aurangzeb added.
The finance minister expressed confidence that the approved framework would help unlock the full potential of the telecom sector, support digital connectivity and contribute to sustainable economic growth.
