LAHORE – Globally, and especially in developing nations like Pakistan, smartphones are the most effective means of extending the benefits of an emerging digital economy to the masses. However, prohibitive smartphone prices, exacerbated by high taxation on services and devices, continue to perpetuate this digital divide in Pakistan.
These thoughts were shared by Aamir Ibrahim, CEO Jazz, during a panel discussion themed ‘Empowering Digital Pakistan’ at the Digital Nation Summit in Islamabad, organized by GSMA in collaboration with the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT). The discussion, which explored how the telecom sector plays a pivotal role in unlocking Pakistan’s digital vision, was moderated by Julian Gorman, Head of Asia Pacific at GSMA, and included panelists Khurram Ashfaque, CEO of Telenor; Li Li, Head of Technology at Zong; and Zarrar Khan, Group Chief Business Solutions Officer at PTCL/Ufone.
Aamir highlighted that education, commerce, employment, and health depend on smartphone access today, yet expensive smartphones allow 2G phones to maintain a 40% market share in Pakistan. He advocated for ending 2G phone production and sunsetting 3G networks, noting Jazz’s pioneering efforts in this area. To achieve the Digital Nation vision, Aamir emphasized affordable smart devices through installment plans, widespread broadband, and QR codes at local stores. He called for an end to overtaxing the telecom sector, urging recognition of telecom as a cross-sector enabler essential for long-term national benefits. In another panel discussion covering ‘building resilient and sustainable network infrastructures, Kazim Mujtaba, President of the Consumer Division at Jazz, highlighted the company’s journey from a telecom provider to a ServiceCo conglomerate in response to the evolving digital landscape. He said that despite market and regulatory challenges, the company is committed to leveraging technology for the betterment of lives and livelihoods.
Mujtaba also acknowledged the supportive roles played by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), MoITT, and the government in facilitating the sector’s growth. He lauded positive initiatives such as the Right of Way (RoW) framework, which has significantly reduced the time required for network deployment approvals by 50%, thereby accelerating network expansions.
Emphasizing sustainability, Mujtaba said that Jazz is solarizing network sites, reducing plastic use, and undertaking energy audits to promote efficient energy use. He revealed that the company has pledged to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Sir Brandon Lewis, Member of the Board of Directors at VEON, while sharing his thoughts in a panel discussion themed ‘Navigating Policy Reforms for a Digital Pakistan’, stressed the crucial role the mobile industry in driving economic growth, championing digital inclusion, and enabling other sectors to thrive. Despite these contributions, he acknowledged that existing challenges hinder the industry from becoming sustainable partners for the future.
To address these impediments, Sir Brandon Lewis highlighted the swift implementation of policy interventions that the industry has been seeking for a couple of years now. These interventions include delinking spectrum prices from the U.S. dollar, adopting a model of extending license payments over a twenty-year period—a strategy successfully implemented in other nations, temporarily suspending industry contributions to the Universal Service Fund and Ignite (R&D fund), and ensuring rightful access to industrial electricity tariffs for the telecom sector. The Digital Nation Summit facilitated critical industry discussions, cultivated regional engagement, and advanced the impact of mobile technology for developing sustainable and inclusive digital nations. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Minister of State for IT and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja, and Chairman Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Maj General (retd) Hafeez Ur Rehman also attended the summit.
