Karachi:Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited has secured approval from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority for the proposed amalgamation of Pak Telecom Mobile Limited and Telenor Pakistan, marking a significant step toward industry consolidation.
According to a notice submitted to the Pakistan Stock Exchange, the regulator granted approval on March 19, 2026, subject to PTCL submitting unconditional acceptance of conditions within 15 days. Subsequently, the merger will proceed under a scheme of arrangement in line with applicable laws and regulatory frameworks.
A senior PTCL official confirmed that the company does not require further board approval, as it has already obtained all necessary permissions for the acquisition. Therefore, the next phase will involve legal formalities, including filing an application with the Islamabad High Court.
Meanwhile, the amalgamation process is expected to take about four weeks, during which authorities will verify the absence of pending legal or financial disputes. In addition, institutions such as the State Bank of Pakistan and the Federal Board of Revenue will provide input during the review.
Following the no-objection certificate, Ufone can begin integrating operations with Telenor Pakistan, allowing technical teams to combine spectrum and reduce overlapping infrastructure. The merged entity currently operates around 26,000 towers, many of which may be consolidated to cut costs.
However, regulators have imposed safeguards to protect competition and consumers. Operators must seek approval before shutting shared towers, and franchise holders must receive six months’ notice before contract changes.
Pakistan’s telecom market includes about 202 million subscribers, and analysts expect some user decline after consolidation due to overlapping SIM ownership.
