• Internet speed in Pakistan is not up to world standards: IT minister.
• Says effort underway to complete auction in first week of Feb 2026.
• Pakistan ranked 97th, 146th for mobile and broadband speed.

ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee has approved auction of 600 MHz spectrum which would not only improve the internet speed but also pave way for the roll out of 5G internet in the country, Information Technology and Telecommunication (IT) Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja said on Tuesday. 

Addressing a joint presser along with Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, the IT minister said the federal government was eyeing completing the internet spectrum auction by early 2026 after the ECC’s nod.

Expanding on the matter, IT Minister Khawaja said that spectrum advisory committee’s recommendations will be taken to the cabinet soon and that consultation with other relevant parties, including the telecom sector, will be ensured during the process.

“Due to a lack of spectrum, internet speed in Pakistan is not up to world standards,” the minister noted, adding that the government is going to hold an auction of 600 MHz spectrum.

Shaza further said that efforts were underway to roll out 5G in six months.

Highlighting that the internet formed the basis of the entire digital system, she said that the government will increase both the speed as well as internet access and that efforts were being made to complete the auction in the first week of February 2026.

The spectrum auction announcement comes as slow internet speed, coupled with intermittent outages and restricted access on various occasions, are not uncommon for the netizens in the country.

As per Ookla Speedtest Global Index, Pakistan ranked 97th globally with regards to mobile internet speed which was measured at 24.79Mbps in November. The statistics were much worse for fixed broadband speed where the country ranked 146 with download speed of mere 18.27Mbps.

However, last month, the country significantly expanded its international internet capacity with the launch of the South-East Asia-Middle East-Western Europe (SEA-ME-WE) 6 submarine cable system.

The 19,200-kilometre high-capacity fibre network connects the country to major digital hubs between Singapore and France.

The system, offering over 100 terabits per second (Tbps) of total capacity, provides one of the lowest-latency routes between Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Western Europe.

Under the deployment, Pakistan had been allocated 13.2 Tbps, of which 4 Tbps has been activated immediately — a major boost that will support cloud computing, data centres, fintech, e-commerce, streaming platforms and the broader digital economy.

The new SEA-ME-WE 6 network features more fibre pairs and more than double the capacity of earlier SEA-ME-WE systems, ensuring greater resilience across high-traffic Asia-Europe routes.

Titanic filmmaker Steven Spielberg refused to work with Ben Affleck on a film project as per Hollywood screenwriter and director Mike Binder.

Binder opened up on his recent appearance on One Bad Movie podcast about the tension between the Batman star and Spielberg.

The 67-year-old revealed the man behind Titanic had initially been interested in directing his 2006 satire Man About Town.

The film was intended to be a DreamWorks production.

But Spielberg reportedly backed out after Binder suggested Affleck for the lead role.

Binder recalled, “Steven says, ‘No. Can’t do it with him. We just bombed a movie with him, he’s got that whole J.Lo thing going on now, and I have other problems with him.'”

The Reign Over Me director mentioned professional concerns and a personal dispute dating back to a family pool party.

According to Binder, Spielberg referenced an incident in which Affleck allegedly threw Spielberg’s young son back into a pool after being pushed in himself which left the child in tears.

Spielberg reportedly told Binder he did not want to work with Affleck whom he described as “cold.”

Binder said Affleck knew the reason behind Spielberg’s refusal.

“Ben calls me up, he says, ‘Did Steven Spielberg tell you I threw his kid in the water? Is that why I’m not on your movie?’” Binder recounted.

Despite Spielberg’s withdrawal, Affleck went on to star in Man About Town, which was released in 2007 by Sunlight Productions.

The tension appeared to ease years later.

At the 2013 Academy Awards, Affleck’s Argo won Best Picture beating Spielberg’s Lincoln.

The two men were seen embracing on stage.

Binder joked to Affleck afterward, “Tonight you could throw Spielberg’s whole family in the pool and get away with it.”

Binder described both Spielberg and Affleck as ‘great guys’ but admitted that egos and misunderstandings played a role.

“Steven Spielberg is a genius and a great guy, but he can be an a**hole. And Ben Affleck is a great guy, and he can be a bigger a**hole,” he said.

Vince Zampella, a video game developer known for pioneering iconic franchises including “Call of Duty,” has died at 55, gaming company Electronic Arts said. Zampella died Sunday in a car crash on the Angeles Crest Highway in Los Angeles. 

The crash happened at around 12:45 p.m. near mile marker 62 in an unincorporated area part of the county close to Altadena, according to the California Highway Patrol. Officers were alerted to the crash by an emergency services request from an Apple device via satellite, according to their incident log. 

In a news release, CHP officers said that for unknown reasons, a car “veered off the roadway” and struck a concrete barrier, which caused it to burst into flames. The driver was trapped inside following the impact and was pronounced dead at the scene. A passenger in the vehicle was ejected, police said. They died after being taken to a nearby hospital, officers said. 

Zampella founded Respawn Entertainment in 2010 and was the former CEO of Infinity Ward, the studio that develops the “Call of Duty” franchise. 

“As one of the founders of Infinity Ward and Call of Duty, you will always have a special place in our history. Your legacy of creating iconic, lasting entertainment is immeasurable,” a statement from Infinity Ward said.

Electronic Arts, which acquired Respawn Entertainment in 2017, shared a statement with CBS Los Angeles on Zampella’s death. 

“This is an unimaginable loss, and our hearts are with Vince’s family, his loved ones, and all those touched by his work. Vince’s influence on the video game industry was profound and far-reaching,” the statement said. “A friend, colleague, leader and visionary creator, his work helped shape modern interactive entertainment and inspired millions of players and developers around the world.”

Zampella helped develop an extensive list of successful games throughout his career, which began in 2002 with “Medal of Honor: Allied Assault” and continued with the first “Call of Duty” game in 2003. 

In recent years, he helped produce the “Star Wars Jedi” series. His Respawn Entertainment studio has produced games like “Titanfall” and “Titanfall 2,” as well as “Apex Legends.” He was also leading a team at DICE LA, which is an EA studio based in Playa Vista, according to the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences.