# 5G in Pakistan: 24 cities now, nationwide rollout two more years away; full city list

Source: Searchable (https://searchable.pk/news/technology/5g-in-pakistan-launch-date-cities-packages)
Type: News article
Author: Searchable Editorial
Published: 18 Sept 2026
Updated: 24 Oct 2026
Retrieved: 3 Nov 2026

> The government told the National Assembly that 5G will take two more years to reach the whole country. Here are the 24 cities that have it, sites by operator, and what phone and SIM you need.

## Update, 24 October 2026: nationwide 5G "will take two more years"

**A nationwide 5G rollout in Pakistan will take another two years**, Parliamentary Secretary for IT Sabeen Ghouri told the National Assembly during Question Hour on Friday, [Business Recorder reported](https://www.brecorder.com/news/40445722/nationwide-5g-rollout-will-take-2-more-years). She said 5G is available in 24 cities and that the focus for now is on improving service there before adding more. She gave no list of the next cities and no budget.

Members pushed back on service quality. Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari (PPP) raised slow 4G and 5G speeds in Nawabshah and asked for a coordinated plan; Noor Alam (JUI-F) said consumers were being charged for 5G that was not actually available; Nabeel Gabol (PPP) said phones were dropping to 2G. Presiding member Abdul Qadir Patel asked whether 4G had "died". So if you are outside the 24 cities below, plan on 4G until at least late 2028.

## 23 October 2026: 1,782 5G sites in 24 cities

**5G in Pakistan now runs on 1,782 sites across 24 cities**, IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja said on Friday, [Business Recorder reported](https://www.brecorder.com/news/40445616/pakistan-deploys-1782-5g-sites-in-24-cities). Jazz has the most sites, followed by Zong and Ufone. Telenor, which did not buy 5G spectrum, has none.

| 5G sites by operator | Sites |
|---|---|
| Jazz | 1,015 |
| Zong (China Mobile Pakistan) | 640 |
| Ufone | 127 |
| **Total** | **1,782** |

| 5G sites by city (top ten) | Sites |
|---|---|
| Karachi | 385 |
| Lahore | 373 |
| Islamabad | 276 |
| Faisalabad | 144 |
| Peshawar | 122 |
| Rawalpindi | 108 |
| Multan | 103 |
| Sialkot | 87 |
| Quetta | 65 |
| Sheikhupura | 55 |

**All 24 cities with 5G:** Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Peshawar, Quetta, Multan, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Sheikhupura, Hyderabad, Abbottabad, Attock, Jhelum, Kasur, Kohat, Mardan, Rahim Yar Khan, Sahiwal, Sukkur, Swabi, Chitral and Gujrat.

Jazz leads in Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad and Multan; Zong is stronger in Peshawar, Quetta, Sheikhupura and Sialkot. The licences require the federal and provincial capitals first; beyond that each operator chooses where to build.

**What you need:** a 5G phone and coverage where you are. **You do not need a new SIM**: a 4G SIM works on 5G. The cheapest 5G handset on sale costs about **Rs 36,000**, the minister said, and 607,093 5G phones were assembled in Pakistan from January to August 2026. She gave no timeline for making 5G cheaper. Before you buy an imported phone, check the duty with our [PTA mobile tax calculator](/tools/telecom/pta-mobile-tax-calculator).

*The September 2026 overview below is kept for the auction and licence details.*

---

5G is live in Pakistan, but only in parts of about ten cities, and only on three networks. Here is the state of it as of September 2026.

## The auction: $507 million, 10 March 2026

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority auctioned next-generation spectrum on **10 March 2026**, raising **$507 million**. It sold **480 MHz** against the **597 MHz** it had offered.

What went, band by band:

| Band | Lots sold |
|---|---|
| 700 MHz | 2 of 3 |
| 2300 MHz | all 5 |
| 2600 MHz | all 19 |
| 3500 MHz | 22 of 28 |

The 3500 MHz band is the one that delivers the headline speeds over short distances. The 700 MHz band travels furthest and penetrates buildings best, which is why it matters more for coverage than for peak speed. Six of the 28 lots at 3500 MHz and one at 700 MHz went unsold.

## Who won

Three operators took licences. In the 2600 MHz band:

- **Jazz:** 190 MHz
- **Ufone:** 180 MHz
- **Zong:** 110 MHz

**Jazz was the only operator to secure spectrum across all key bands**, adding 700 MHz, 2300 MHz and 3500 MHz holdings. That is the reason Jazz has been able to move fastest on coverage: low-band spectrum for reach and high-band for speed, in the same network.

Licences were awarded on **19 March 2026**, at a ceremony addressed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. PTA Licensing Director General **Brig (retd) Aamir Shahzad** handled the award.

## Which cities actually have it

At launch in March, **Jazz** went live on 180 sites in **Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta, Rawalpindi, Multan and Faisalabad**. **Zong** announced commercial service in **more than 16 cities** including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar and Quetta, with more than 1,000 further sites planned during 2026.

By late August 2026, industry tracking reported Jazz had passed **1,000 live 5G sites**, the first operator in Pakistan to do so, with a target of **2,500 by the end of the year** and coverage extended to ten cities: the original eight plus **Sialkot and Gujranwala**. Zong continues to expand in urban corridors, and Ufone's rollout is the least advanced of the three.

Outside those cities, you are on 4G. Rural Pakistan is not in the plan for this phase.

## The honest part about coverage

"5G in Lahore" does not mean 5G across Lahore. A thousand sites nationwide is a small number against the tens of thousands of 4G sites already operating. In practice you get 5G in dense commercial areas and main corridors, and your phone falls back to 4G a few streets away. Treat the city lists as where 5G exists, not where it is everywhere.

## Do you even have a 5G phone

This is where most people stop before they start. Industry estimates put 5G-capable handsets at roughly **8 to 12 percent** of smartphones in Pakistan in mid-2026, rising as newer models sell.

Three things have to be true at once:

1. **Your handset supports 5G** on the bands your operator won, particularly n41 (2600 MHz) and n78 (3500 MHz). Check the specification sheet for your exact model, not the series.
2. **Your SIM is on a 5G-enabled network** in a covered area. Jazz, Zong and Ufone are the three with spectrum.
3. **Your phone is PTA-approved and registered.** An unregistered device gets blocked regardless of what it supports.

If you are unsure which SIMs are even registered in your name, see our guide on [checking the SIMs on your CNIC](/guides/telecom/how-to-check-sims-registered-on-your-cnic-668-sms-and-cnicsimspk).

## What about packages

The operators have not introduced separate 5G tariffs. 5G runs on the existing data bundles: if you are in coverage with a capable, registered handset, your current package carries it at whatever speed the network gives you.

Compare what the national prepaid bundles actually cost on our [mobile packages comparison](/compare/mobile-packages), and work out what tax comes off a top-up with the [mobile load tax calculator](/tools/telecom/mobile-load-tax-calculator). Always confirm a bundle's price and validity on the operator's own page before subscribing, since bundle terms change more often than coverage does.

## What to expect next

The unsold lots at 3500 MHz and 700 MHz remain available, so a further auction round is possible. Jazz's 2,500-site target for end-2026 is the number to watch: coverage, not spectrum, is now the constraint. Ufone's Q4 activity will decide whether the market has three real 5G networks or two.

For most people in Pakistan the practical answer through 2026 is unchanged: a good 4G connection in a well-covered area will serve you better than chasing a 5G signal that drops back to 4G at the end of the street.

## Frequently asked questions

**Which cities have 5G in Pakistan?**

24 cities as of 23 October 2026: Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Peshawar, Quetta, Multan, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Sheikhupura, Hyderabad, Abbottabad, Attock, Jhelum, Kasur, Kohat, Mardan, Rahim Yar Khan, Sahiwal, Sukkur, Swabi, Chitral and Gujrat.

**Do I need a new SIM for 5G in Pakistan?**

No. A 4G SIM works on 5G; you need a 5G-capable phone and to be in a covered area. The cheapest 5G phone costs about Rs 36,000.

## Sources

- Pakistan deploys 1,782 5G sites in 24 cities (23 Oct 2026) (Business Recorder): https://www.brecorder.com/news/40445616/pakistan-deploys-1782-5g-sites-in-24-cities
- Telecos awarded licences for 5G spectrum, announce launch of services in some cities (19 Mar 2026) (Dawn): https://www.dawn.com/news/1983726
- Pakistan raises $507m via auction of much-awaited 5G spectrum: PTA (10 Mar 2026) (Geo News): https://www.geo.tv/latest/655060-pakistan-raises-507m-via-auction-of-much-awaited-5g-spectrum-pta
- Pakistan's 5G Spectrum Auction Scheduled for 10 March 2026 (30 Jan 2026) (Pakistan Telecommunication Authority): https://www.pta.gov.pk/category/pakistan%E2%80%99s-5g-spectrum-auction-scheduled-for-10-march-2026-747599988-2026-01-30
- Jazz Hits 1,000 Live 5G Sites: Pakistan's 5G Deployment Race Enters a New Phase in September 2026 (NextGen.pk): https://nextgen.pk/news/pakistan-5g-1000-sites-jazz-deployment-milestone-2026
- Jazz launches 5G services after securing PTA licence, rollout begins in major cities (20 Mar 2026) (Profit by Pakistan Today): https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2026/03/20/jazz-launches-5g-services-after-securing-pta-licence-rollout-begins-in-major-cities/
- Nationwide 5G rollout will take 2 more years (Business Recorder): https://www.brecorder.com/news/40445722/nationwide-5g-rollout-will-take-2-more-years

How to cite: "5G in Pakistan: 24 cities now, nationwide rollout two more years away; full city list", Searchable, 24 Oct 2026, https://searchable.pk/news/technology/5g-in-pakistan-launch-date-cities-packages