Pakistan Mobile Summit: On the Path to Progress
“The unique aspect of the Pakistan Mobile Summit is that, under one roof, we brought together the entire ecosystem—from government and regulators to academia and industry players. That kind of collaboration is exactly what our digital future needs,” said Anwar Kabir, President and CEO, Brand Spectrum.
Held in January 2024 in Islamabad, the first-ever Pakistan Mobile Summit—presented by TECNO, powered by Jazz, and organized by Brand Spectrum—brought together key players from across the digital and telecom landscape.
In this video, attendees discuss 5G readiness, digital inclusion, and the urgent need for responsive policies and infrastructure to keep pace with rapid technological change.
The summit was widely praised by stakeholders for offering a rare, cohesive platform where open dialogue replaced isolated efforts. It brought together regulators, private sector innovators, mobile manufacturers, digital finance players, and academic researchers to collectively assess the direction of Pakistan’s digital growth.
Several participants emphasized that such forums are critical not only for spotlighting opportunities but also for addressing persistent industry challenges—including uneven connectivity, the underutilization of existing 4G infrastructure, and regulatory shortcomings. The candid engagement of top government officials and regulators with these issues lent the summit both credibility and forward momentum.
Pakistan’s 5G preparedness emerged as a central theme. While the technology holds vast potential, its success hinges on closing the infrastructure and policy gaps already identified. The upcoming spectrum auction was seen as a pivotal milestone—one that requires a unified, long-term strategy across the ecosystem.
“5G is a powerful enabler, but it cannot alone bring about the transformation we should be striving for—policy support, infrastructure and timely action are equally essential.”
Another standout aspect of the summit was its focus on youth-led innovation and the strengthening of industry-academia linkages. The participation of students from the National University of Science and Technology (NUST), who shared research on 5G, highlighted the value of incorporating academic insights into practical development—a factor many believe is critical for sustainable digital progress.
Stakeholders at the summit emphasized the government’s crucial role in enabling digital progress. While the private sector is prepared to grow, they noted that high taxes on smartphones and digital services remain a barrier. Policies, they added, should tax actual success—not potential—and support local manufacturing through measures like increasing duty scrips which could help mobile exports reach $15 billion in the coming years.
Moreover, the collaborative spirit of the summit was seen as a necessary shift in how the industry operates. Stakeholders agreed that with Pakistan standing at the edge of a digital transformation, the momentum generated by the summit must be sustained, with follow-ups on discussions, implementation of actionable insights, and a commitment to measuring progress by the next summit.
It is clear: this summit marks the beginning of a journey, not its end.
As Pakistan’s mobile economy continues to evolve rapidly, what is one critical area the country must get right to truly leap into its digital future? Let’s spark a solution-focused dialogue in the comments.
This article was developed with the assistance of AI tools.
