By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) said on Wednesday the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has conditionally approved its proposed acquisition of Telenor Pakistan BV and Orion Towers (Private) Limited, paving the way for a major consolidation in the country’s telecom sector.
The decision concludes a protracted regulatory process for the $400 million transaction, which will merge PTCL’s mobile arm Ufone with Telenor Pakistan to create the country’s second-largest mobile operator.
The approval, issued as a Phase-II Order, comes after an exhaustive review under the Competition Act, 2010, and related merger control regulations. It marks a pivotal step in reshaping Pakistan’s telecom landscape, where four major operators grapple with thin margins, high spectrum fees and heavy capital expenditure demands.
“It is to notify that the CCP on October 1, 2025, has passed the Phase-II Order in relation to the pre-merger application earlier filed by PTCL and TPBV pursuant to Subsection (2) of Section 11 of the Competition Act, 2010, read with Regulation 6 of the Competition (merger control) Regulations, 2016, approving the transaction,” PTCL said in a notice to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX).
The CCP’s order accords approval to the transaction but subjects its finalisation to other corporate and regulatory approvals, completion of formalities, and signing of necessary agreements and closing obligations, PTCL added.
In a separate statement, PTCL expressed gratitude to the CCP for concluding Phase II of the review. “We highly appreciate the CCP’s thoroughness in safeguarding the future outlook and long-term sustainability of Pakistan’s telecom sector. We are especially thankful to our customers, partners, and the wider telecom community who have been eagerly looking forward to this historic announcement,” it said.
PTCL described the merger as “a pivotal step forward for Pakistan’s telecom industry, which will draw strengths from both PTML (Ufone) and Telenor to deliver best-in-class customer experience, enhanced network quality, broader coverage, and innovative digital services for their customer base, while enabling the sector to achieve greater efficiency, resilient infrastructure, and a more competitive landscape.” “Moreover, the consolidated entity will strengthen nationwide connectivity, drive innovation, and support the government’s vision of a digitally empowered Pakistan.”
The PTCL Policy Board had earlier accepted the CCP’s terms following months of hearings, during which the regulator applied its Substantial Lessening of Competition (SLC) Test across multiple segments, including mobile, fixed line and long-distance markets.
Copyright © 2021 Independent Pakistan | All rights reserved
