ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is moving to expand its digital backbone by setting up new submarine cable landing stations beyond Karachi, aiming to strengthen internet reliability, reduce risks of outages, and attract foreign investment.
Currently, all seven of Pakistan’s existing submarine cables land exclusively in Karachi. However, three more cables are expected to arrive soon, and officials confirmed that new landing hubs are under consideration in Gwadar and other coastal areas to ease dependence on a single city.
Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication, Shaza Fatima, said Pakistan’s IT exports had reached $3.8 billion, though the actual figure is believed to be almost double due to unrecorded freelancer earnings. She stressed that freelancers remain a backbone of the digital economy.
To further fuel growth, the government has created the Pakistan Digital Authority and launched several initiatives under the Digital Nation Pakistan program. A flagship project, DigiSkills, has already trained 300,000 people in freelancing and digital skills, with another 300,000 in training. In partnership with global tech giants such as Google and Huawei, Pakistan plans to equip one million people with digital expertise.
“Our vision is to ensure every child in Pakistan has access to high-speed internet. In three to four years, Pakistan will be a digitally transformed country, Insha’Allah,” Shaza Fatima said.
The government is also tackling infrastructure gaps. Currently, only 14 percent of telecom towers in Pakistan are connected with fiber—far below the regional benchmark of over 50 percent. To accelerate progress, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has abolished high Right of Way (RoW) charges, while the Prime Minister’s Office has directed the National Highway Authority (NHA) and Pakistan Railways to follow suit. A fast-track approval portal has also been launched to speed up clearances.
To diversify access, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and the Pakistan Space Activity Regulatory Board are finalizing regulations for satellite internet. Several international companies from the US, China, and elsewhere have already applied for licenses.
At present, 98 percent of internet users in Pakistan rely on mobile broadband and Wi-Fi, while just 2 percent use fiber. The government’s target is to raise fiber penetration to between 40 and 60 percent over the next few years.
By addressing policy bottlenecks, upgrading submarine cable infrastructure, and encouraging private sector investment, officials say Pakistan is positioning itself to become a major digital hub in South Asia.