Pakistan must enhance fiber connectivity in the next few years

KARACHI: Pakistan has maintained low fiber connectivity among regional economies, which is one of the major factors behind the low internet speeds available to the masses across the country.

According to data collected from GSMA and the World Bank, tower fiberization in Pakistan stands at 14 percent, compared to comparable economies such as Bangladesh at 34 percent, Indonesia at 42 percent, and Malaysia at 48 percent.

This limited development of telecom infrastructure has severely affected Pakistan’s ranking in terms of average internet speed, hindering connectivity between domestic businesses and foreign entities, while also slowing the progress of digital transformation across the country.

The development of tower fiberization should be expedited on a war-footing basis to enhance internet speeds and improve the country’s global ranking in the coming years, said Syed Muhammad Taha Owais, a fiber-optic infrastructure specialist.

He added that the active rollout of fiberization would attract both local and foreign investment and generate handsome dividends for all stakeholders, ranging from the government to broadband internet providers, telecom operators to optic fiber deployment companies, IT firms to freelancers, and fintech companies to banks.

Muhammad Owais, a senior official at Optix Pakistan, underscored that the demand for high-speed internet is rising sharply in urban areas for both commercial and domestic use. He noted that improved connectivity could boost business productivity and revenues in domestic services and manufacturing sectors, while also attracting foreign companies to establish operations in Pakistan, either independently or through joint ventures with local firms in the future.

Pakistan ranked 97th globally in internet speed, with an average speed of 25 Mbps. In comparison, Bangladesh ranked 86th, Indonesia 73rd, and Malaysia 27th, according to the Ookla Speedtest Connectivity Report. The report ranks countries’ internet networks based on performance metrics such as connection speeds, consistency, gaming performance, and video streaming quality.

Globally, the internet is considered a basic right for individuals in an increasingly high-tech world, and access to high-speed, uninterrupted internet reflects the quality of life and living standards of individuals, said the Chairman of the Pakistan Freelancers’ Association (PAFLA).

He stated that the role of the internet has become fundamental in earning a livelihood. If internet services are upgraded, opportunities will increase for IT companies, freelancers, and digital workers to enhance their skill portfolios and generate sustainable income.

He urged Pakistani authorities to chalk out a comprehensive plan at the earliest to upgrade internet infrastructure nationwide, empowering people to learn, earn, and live better lives.

At present, Pakistan has over 211,000 kilometres of deployed optical fiber, including 75,967 km of long-haul fiber and 135,506 km of metro fiber.

The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT) plans to increase tower fiberization to 80 percent, up from the current 14 percent, by 2029 under the World Bank-assisted Digital Economy Enhancement Project (DEEP). This initiative aims to enhance network capacity and the reliability of broadband internet nationwide.

As part of this effort, the ministry will develop a National Fiberization Plan along with a supporting policy framework to accelerate fiber-optic deployment and deliver high-speed internet services across the country. Key targets include expanding fixed broadband coverage by 2029, enabling 8–10 million new optical fiber-based unique house passes nationwide, and improving Pakistan’s global standing in fiber-to-the-home (FTTH), where the country currently remains unranked on several international indices.

The ministry also aims to raise fixed broadband speeds to at least 100 Mbps per user, while improving the affordability of internet services and digital devices for citizens.

Dr Noman Said, an IT expert, stated that Pakistan must address several challenges, including fragmented infrastructure, high capital costs, limited FTTH adoption, spectrum inefficiency, the need for additional deep-sea fiber capacity, and cybersecurity as a non-negotiable layer.

He added that the National Fiberization Plan is not merely an infrastructure project but a nation-building effort. If Pakistan achieves its 2029 targets through sustained coordination, the country could move into the top 50 broadband economies, potentially increase GDP growth by 1.5–1.7 percent, and unlock new opportunities in e-commerce, intelligent transportation, smart governance, fintech, telemedicine, artificial intelligence, and cloud services.