Islamabad:Zubair kasuri, The merger between PTCL-UFONE and Telenor, which was announced a year ago, has once again hit a snag. Reliable sources within the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) have revealed that despite the initial agreement between PTCL-UFONE and Telenor in December 2023, and subsequent hearings by the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) over the past six months, a final decision remains pending.
Sources indicate that the CCP had initially announced a decision by the end of December 2024, but failed to deliver. This delay has reportedly caused significant setbacks for both companies’ developmental and ongoing projects, and has raised concerns about foreign investment in Pakistan’s telecom and IT sectors.
Despite both companies completing all legal formalities, the CCP’s continued delay in issuing a decision has raised eyebrows. A senior official at the Ministry of Telecom and IT alleged that CCP officials are deliberately stalling the process to benefit other major companies. They further mentioned that PTCL-UFONE has appealed to the government to expedite the matter.
Officials from both UFONE and Telenor confirmed that all legal and necessary documentation has been submitted, expressing bewilderment at the CCP’s inaction. Another government official suggested that objections from a major mobile phone service provider, along with the outstanding $800 million owed by Etisalat (the foreign company operating UFONE-PTCL) to the Pakistani government since 2007, might be contributing factors.
The merger would consolidate over 75 million mobile phone users in Pakistan under a single network. PTCL-UFONE also plans to install over 2,600 additional mobile phone towers nationwide to enhance coverage, promoting competition and encouraging other mobile phone companies to improve their services.
A senior PTA official stated that if the CCP issues a decision today, the PTA can finalize the merger approval within a month.
