The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is predicted to situation its resolution on the acquisition of Telenor Pakistan by the PTCL group by the tip of November, sources acquainted with the matter knowledgeable ProPakistani.
The regulator is at the moment conducting hearings with each Telenor and Ufone, evaluating submissions earlier than issuing a proper order.
As soon as PTA grants a no-objection certificates (NOC), Telenor will strategy the Securities and Change Fee of Pakistan (SECP) and the State Financial institution of Pakistan for subsequent approvals. Following the change in administration, the merger request will return to PTA for remaining authorization.
The acquisition course of reached a significant milestone earlier when the Competitors Fee of Pakistan (CCP) accepted PTCL’s buy of Telenor Pakistan and Orion Towers. CCP’s detailed ruling outlined stringent situations to make sure honest competitors, together with the requirement that PTCL and the merged entity keep unbiased boards and administration.
UAE-based Etisalat, the mum or dad firm of PTCL, should additionally be certain that senior management meets strict health and integrity requirements.
A number of safeguards have been imposed by the CCP to stop anti-competitive practices. An unbiased third-party monitor will oversee compliance, audit transactions, and submit quarterly studies to the CCP for 5 years.
The order additionally prohibits cross-subsidisation and mandates arm’s-length dealings for all related-party transactions. Moreover, non-discriminatory entry to infrastructure should be ensured for all operators, whereas PTCL and the merged entity should submit all present and future Reference Interconnect Gives for PTA approval.
The regulator additional directed PTCL to acquire PTA clearance for wholesale pricing associated to IP bandwidth, long-distance worldwide providers, home leased traces, and telecom infrastructure supplied to licensees or related corporations, together with the merged operator. Predatory pricing has been explicitly restricted, whereas obligatory adherence to quality-of-service benchmarks, innovation targets, and tariff rules can be enforced.
CCP additionally confused that PTCL and Telenor should exhibit that merger efficiencies will instantly profit customers by means of improved providers, pricing, and community investments.
The acquisition traces again to December 2023, when PTCL signed a Share Buy Settlement with the Telenor Group to amass one hundred pc of its Pakistani operations. The settlement was formalized in August 2024, adopted by the CCP’s Section II approval on October 1, 2025.
PTCL formally introduced the deal later that month, valuing the transaction at round $400 million on a cash-free, debt-free foundation. As the ultimate PTA approval stays pending, the merger is poised to reshape Pakistan’s telecom panorama, consolidating it right into a three-player market and intensifying competitors between Jazz and the mixed Ufone-Telenor entity.