The recent approval by the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) to auction the 5G spectrum is being hailed as a technological leap for Pakistan. However, this progress is meaningless for the common citizen if the device required to access it — the mobile phone — remains a luxury they cannot afford.
Currently, the taxes imposed on mobile phones are exorbitant. For a middle or lower-middle-class individual, buying a decent smartphone, costing even under Rs50,000, has become a financial burden. These devices are not “luxury products”; they are essential tools for education, business and banking. By treating them as luxury items, the tax policy is effectively stripping the working class of their right to digital connectivity.
It is illogical to invest billions in 5G infrastructure while simultaneously making 5G-enabled handsets unaffordable through aggressive taxation. If the average user cannot upgrade their phone due to these costs, who exactly is this 5G network being built for?
The authorities should reconsider the tax structure, specifically providing tax grants or relief for phones priced under Rs50,000. To truly digitise Pakistan, we must ensure that connectivity is accessible to the many, not just the privileged few.
Muhammad Huzaifa Jadoon
Islamabad
