ISLAMABAD: With $45 million already deposited by three major telecom operators and the Ufone–Telenor merger entering its final stage, Pakistan’s 5G rollout has moved into a decisive phase ahead of the March 10 spectrum auction. This was revealed before the National Assembly Standing committee on information Technology and Telecommunication which met with Amin UL Haque in the chair here on Thursday. Chairman Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Maj. Gen. (R) Hafeez Ur Rehman confirmed that Jazz, Ufone and Zong have each submitted $15 million as pre-bid earnest money, taking the total to $45 million and formally setting the stage for the auction. The government is targeting more than $634 million in potential revenue from the process, subject to competitive bidding and final spectrum pricing. PTA has also defined minimum success criteria to ensure meaningful participation and market stability. In a key parallel development, the National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology was informed that the merger between Ufone and Telenor Pakistan is in its final phase and will be completed before the March 10 auction. The PTA chairman told lawmakers that the regulator is conducting a final review of documentation and completing regulatory formalities on priority. “The Ufone-Telenor merger is at a final stage,” he said, assuring the committee that the consolidation would not disrupt the auction timeline. However, members of the committee raised concerns over possible market concentration following the merger. The committee chairman stressed that consolidation must not result in market dominance by any single operator. Responding to the concerns, the PTA chairman said the regulator has already imposed a cap to prevent monopolisation and ensure fair competition in the telecom sector. The committee deferred the Electronic Transactions (Amendment) Bill 2026 after the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication sought additional time for consultation. Officials told lawmakers that further stakeholder engagement was necessary before moving forward. The committee agreed to revisit the draft in its next meeting. The proposed amendments aim to update Pakistan’s digital legal framework in line with evolving e-commerce and technological requirements, but lawmakers emphasised the need for broader consensus. The session also witnessed sharp criticism of the Ministry of IT’s performance regarding IT export growth. Committee member Dr Zulfiqar Ali questioned the ministry’s claims, arguing that export gains were largely driven by freelancers and the private sector. “IT exports are increasing because freelancers are working day and night,” he remarked, adding that repeated claims about the ministry’s role had grown unconvincing. In response, the IT secretary maintained that globally IT exports are primarily driven by the private sector. However, lawmakers pressed the ministry to explain what tangible facilitation and support were being extended to investors. Dr Zulfiqar further alleged that IT investors were not receiving adequate institutional backing and claimed that his own project proposals had gone unanswered despite direct outreach to senior officials.