Pakistan’s mobile industry recorded an average annual revenue growth of 9% over the past five years, according to a document released by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). This growth was achieved despite high inflation and rising operational costs across the economy.

Operator-wise figures show that Jazz and Ufone each posted 11% average revenue growth, Zong recorded 12%, while Telenor lagged behind at 3%. During the same period, average inflation stood at 17%, showcasing value erosion in the sector as industry growth failed to keep pace with rising prices and a challenging macroeconomic environment.

In a written reply submitted to the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication, the PTA outlined its legal mandate to regulate telecom tariffs under the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organization) Act, 1996. The authority stated that it is empowered to determine operators with Significant Market Power (SMP) and regulate their tariffs to ensure competition and protect consumer rights.

PTA clarified that Jazz has been declared an SMP operator in the retail mobile telecom market and is required to seek prior approval before implementing any tariff changes. Telenor, Ufone, and Zong, categorized as non-SMP operators, may revise tariffs based on their business decisions, although the regulator retains the authority to intervene if consumer interests are negatively impacted.

The PTA has also notified the Mobile Tariff Regulations, 2025, and continues to cross-verify approved tariffs with publicly available information to ensure transparency and compliance.

The regulator attributed recent tariff increases to worsening economic conditions. It noted that between March 2021 and May 2024, fuel prices surged by 158%, inflation rose by 83%, and the Pakistani rupee depreciated by 44% against the US dollar. During the same period, the policy rate increased by 214%, significantly raising financing costs for telecom operators and adding pressure on service pricing.

PTA data further shows that Pakistan continues to offer some of the lowest mobile data prices both regionally and globally, with the cost of 1GB among the cheapest worldwide.

However, the mobile sector operates with one of the lowest Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) levels in the region, standing at around USD 1.12 in early 2025. The authority noted that intense competition and low ARPUs limit pricing flexibility, even as regulatory oversight remains in place to protect consumer rights through complaint management systems and enforcement actions.

A team of students from Islamabad has won second prize at the World Artificial Intelligence Championship for the Youth (WAICY) 2025, a global competition with more than 132,000 participants from 103 countries.

The team represented Roots IVY Gandhara H-8 Campus. It was led by Farahaad Ehtesham, along with Ibrahim Yasir and Musab Khan, all studying in IGCSE-I.

They won the silver medal in the LLM Prompt Engineering (Technology as a Service) category.

Their project, “Ivy Mentor – A Personalised Academic and Coding Assistant,” is a digital learning tool. It helps students understand school subjects and learn coding through personalised support.

Judges evaluated the project based on creativity, ease of use, and how well it solves real educational problems.

A press release said the achievement is impressive because of the students’ young age and the large scale of the competition.

Participants included students from universities, research centers, and advanced secondary schools from around the world.

In another notable achievement for the school, nine teams from Roots IVY Gandhara H-8 Campus reached the global finals of the World Artificial Intelligence Championship for the Youth, including teams from the elementary level.

Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) and Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote academic – industry collaboration, enhance student development, and strengthen financial services for the University and its allied institutions. The partnership aims to create value for students, faculty, and staff through capacity-building programs and improved access to modern banking solutions.

Prof. Dr. Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, Vice Chancellor and Prof. Dr. Muhammad Niamat Ullah Babar, Pro Vice Chancellor with other university officials attended the ceremony.

Speaking on the occasion, President/CEO ZTBL, Mr. Tahir Yaqoob Bhatti, emphasized that ZTBL is committed to empower youth and strengthen professional talent pool. He informed that ZTBL has provided employment opportunities to more than 600 fresh graduates/post graduates during last two years and hiring of fresh batch of 300 Mobile Credit Officers (MCOs)/OG-IIIs is under process. He added that ZTBL, through its network of over 500 branches, is well-positioned to provide students with financial access, training, and career opportunities particularly benefiting those from underserved regions. He highlighted that the collaboration would not only support career development but also enhance financial inclusion through targeted services for the University and its affiliated colleges and schools.

Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Muhammad Zafar Iqbal appreciated ZTBL’s initiative, stating that the MoU marks an important step toward expanding industry linkages and creating meaningful learning and employment opportunities for students. He highlighted that the partnership with ZTBL will help bridge the gap between academic preparation and real-world skills. Gomal University will encourage student participation in ZTBL’s programs, promote the Bank’s internship and training opportunities and support banking facilities of ZTBL for university.

Prof. Dr. Muhammad Zafar Iqbal also urged ZTBL to collaborate on efficient water-resource management and the utilization of rainwater for agricultural purposes. In response, the President/CEO of ZTBL affirmed full support and cooperation of the bank in these initiatives.

Both institutions expressed confidence that this partnership will lead to long-term value creation and strengthen industry–academia linkages for the benefit of the youth.