Pakistan’s fiber optic infrastructure is undergoing its most significant expansion in history. According to MoITT, Pakistan currently has over 211,000 kilometers of deployed optical fiber cable, split between 75,967 km of long-haul and 135,506 km of metro fiber. Eight submarine cable systems connect the country to global networks, and the government has finalized a National Fiberization Policy that targets 8-10 million new fiber home passes and 80% tower fiberization within five years.
Yet the gap between ambition and reality remains wide. Fiber backhaul is still limited, with fiber teledensity around 0.45% and only 9–11% of towers fiber-connected, well below a 40% international benchmark. The race to fix this has accelerated dramatically in 2025-2026.
How Much Fiber Does Pakistan Have?
Pakistan’s domestic fiber network spans over 211,000 km but remains insufficient for a country of 240 million people. As of January 2026, Pakistan has 157 million broadband subscribers, including 3.5 million fixed broadband and 153 million mobile broadband users. Of the fixed broadband subscribers, roughly 2 million are fiber-connected — a tiny fraction of the total.
USF connected over 37.1 million people and laid 17,200 km of fibre optic cable through 161 projects across the country. The backbone runs primarily along the Indus River corridor connecting Karachi to Islamabad, with branch networks extending to provincial capitals and district headquarters.
Internally, connectivity is concentrated along the main transport corridors linking the country’s north and south along the Indus River. Few Internet Service Providers have a countrywide fiber network implantation because of the difficulties of gaining right-of-way access from various rent-seeking stakeholders.
Submarine Cables Connecting Pakistan
There are now 8 international submarine cable systems connecting Pakistan, including 2Africa, AAE-1, IMEWE, PEACE, SMW3 (retired), SMW4, SMW5, SMW6 (under construction) and TW1.
The most significant recent addition is SEA-ME-WE 6. The SEA-ME-WE 6 cable delivers a total capacity exceeding 100 terabits per second (Tbps). Pakistan’s allocated bandwidth on this cable is 13.2 Tbps, with 4 Tbps already activated.
The 2Africa cable, a 45,000-kilometre system equipped with SDM1 technology and a capacity of 180 Tbps, will connect 46 locations across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. Installation began on December 1, 2024, at Hawksbay, Karachi.
The PEACE cable system, connecting Pakistan to France via Kenya and Egypt, has been fully operational since December 2022. Three submarine cables have landed in Pakistan during the last two years, while connections with two additional cables will further improve international connectivity.
The 820-km Pakistan-China Fiber Optic Cable, connecting Khunjerab Pass to Rawalpindi under CPEC, has been operational since July 2018 and provides Pakistan’s only terrestrial international fiber link.
Read more: 10 million homes to get high-speed broadband by 2029 under National Fiberization Plan
The National Fiberization Policy
Pakistan’s most consequential policy development is the National Fiberization Policy, finalized in December 2025 under the Digital Economy Enhancement Project (DEEP).
The new policy will work to expand fixed broadband coverage by enabling the deployment of 8-10 million new optical-fiber-based house passes nationwide. The Ministry also aims to improve mobile network capacity and reliability by ensuring that 80 percent of telecom towers are connected to fiber. This is essential for strengthening 4G networks and preparing Pakistan for future 5G rollout.
The government has started rolling out a nationwide fiberization plan aimed at improving internet infrastructure and preparing the country for 5G services. The plan has already been finalized, and discussions with development partners are ongoing. Practical implementation has begun to expand fiber connectivity across Pakistan.
A critical enabler came in March 2026: The government officially abolished the “Right of Way” charges for fiber deployment. Previously costing telecom operators around Rs 36,000 per kilometer, the removal of this fee will rapidly accelerate fiberization across the country.
USF Rural Fiber Expansion
The Universal Service Fund has been the primary vehicle for extending fiber to rural and underserved areas. The USF under the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication has completed several major Optical Fiber Cable projects in 2025 as part of its ongoing efforts to enhance broadband connectivity across Pakistan. These projects span provinces and districts, marking a significant step towards improving the country’s telecommunication infrastructure.
Collectively, these projects covered a total of 4,023.26 kilometers and benefited 311 UCs/THQs across three provinces. Major 2025 completions included 800 km in KP’s formerly FATA districts, 756 km across Peshawar-Mardan, and over 2,100 km across multiple Sindh districts.
New USF projects worth Rs 7.49 billion were approved covering 940 km of fiber to connect 347 villages and 113 towns across 12 districts. Rs 3.27 billion will be spent to lay 415 km of fiber optic cable in Sanghar, while Rs 2.38 billion will fund 525 km of cable in areas around Jhang.
Private Sector Fiber Investments
The private sector is making parallel investments that complement government efforts. Cybernet has chosen Nokia’s cutting-edge optical transport solution for its new long-haul Optical Fiber Cable network. Designed to deliver 1.2 terabits per second per wavelength, this next-generation infrastructure will power Cybernet’s national backbone. The network will connect over 25 cities in its initial phase and deliver more than 50 Tbps of long-haul capacity.
Major fiber ISPs including PTCL, Nayatel, StormFiber, Transworld, Cybernet, and Fiberlink continue expanding fiber-to-the-home networks in urban centers. PTCL remains the largest fixed-line operator, while Transworld and Cybernet operate submarine cable landing stations at Hawksbay and Karachi.
The 5G Spectrum Auction
The fiber expansion is directly linked to Pakistan’s 5G rollout. In three rounds, the country raised $507 million by assigning 480 MHz of spectrum to Jazz, Ufone and Zong. Jazz bought 190 MHz, Ufone 180 MHz and Zong 110 MHz.
5G services will be launched in 2026 in cities including Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi, with quality targets increasing from 4 Mbps in the first year to 25 Mbps. However, 5G cannot deliver on its promise without fiber backhaul. Each 5G tower requires a fiber connection to handle the massive data throughput, which is why the fiberization plan and the 5G auction are interlinked strategies.
Pakistan as a Regional Data Transit Hub
The fiberization plan will also strengthen Pakistan’s position as a regional data transit hub. Internet transit with China is already functioning efficiently through fiber links. Agreements with Central Asian countries have been finalized under which their data will pass through Pakistan. With improved fiber connectivity, Pakistan will become the shortest digital route between Central Asia and China, turning the country into a key regional data corridor.
In addition to connecting cities and communities through Cybernet’s digital highways, the new backbone will also support cross-border transit services for carriers and internet service providers in Central Asia.
What Comes Next
Pakistan’s fiber optic future depends on executing three parallel tracks simultaneously: expanding the domestic backbone through USF and private investment, deploying 5G on a fiberized tower base, and activating multiple new submarine cables to increase international bandwidth.
The National Fiberization Policy targets placing Pakistan in the top 50 globally for internet speeds. The initiative aims to bolster the country’s fixed broadband infrastructure and raise average download speeds to 60 Mbps nationwide. The abolition of Right of Way charges, the $507 million 5G auction, and the Central Asia transit agreements provide strong policy signals.
Whether execution matches ambition will determine if Pakistan closes its digital gap or falls further behind. With 157 million broadband subscribers already online and demand growing 25% annually, the fiber infrastructure that carries their data is no longer optional. It is foundational.