Country overview: Pakistan - A digital future

GSMA Intelligence is today publishing the next instalment in our country overview series, in which we take a close look at Pakistan and examine how the mobile industry is acting as a catalyst for the development of a digital society.

Pakistan has an emerging mobile industry: there are approximately 90 million unique subscribers in the country, accounting for 47% of the population. Although mobile broadband (3G and above) coverage has increased rapidly since launch in 2014, uptake has remained low. Pakistan ranks low relative to its neighbours for the enablers of mobile internet connectivity – infrastructure, affordability, consumer readiness and content – which are critical to creating the right conditions of supply and demand for mobile internet connectivity to flourish. As a result, Pakistan has one of the lowest penetration rates in South Asia. The digital divide, between those that have access to the internet and those that do not, may remain substantial if issues around affordability and digital literacy are not addressed.

In this report, we look at how mobile is supporting the objectives of Pakistan’s Vision 2025 strategy, which aims to transition the country into a globally competitive knowledge-based economy by the middle of the next decade, with a high quality of life for all its citizens. We also discuss how the mobile industry, government and other sectors of the economy must work together – with a particular focus on tax and regulatory reform – to drive digital development in Pakistan and unlock the huge growth potential and social benefits that come with a more advanced digital society.