Pakistan Telecommunication Authority is expected to announce its decision on the proposed merger between Ufone and Telenor Pakistan on Wednesday after completing the remaining procedural requirements in the regulatory review process. Officials familiar with the development stated that the announcement was initially expected earlier this week but was delayed because a scheduled meeting between the regulator and the management of Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited could not take place on Monday. The interaction forms part of the formal review procedure and must be completed before the authority publicly communicates its final decision on the transaction.
According to sources, Hatem Bamatraf, President and Group Chief Executive Officer of Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited and Ufone, was not available to attend the previously scheduled meeting with the merger authority of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority. The discussion is now expected to take place during the week, after which the minutes of the meeting will be issued on the same day as part of the documentation process. Once the procedural step is completed and the meeting record is formally documented, the regulator is expected to issue its final decision regarding the proposed merger between the two telecom operators.
The proposed transaction has been under regulatory examination for several months and represents a significant development in Pakistan’s telecom industry. If approved, the deal would combine the operations of Ufone and Telenor Pakistan, potentially reshaping the structure of the mobile telecommunications market. At present, Pakistan’s telecom sector includes four major mobile network operators including Jazz, Zong, Ufone and Telenor Pakistan. Approval of the merger would reduce the number of operators from four to three, which has prompted regulators to carefully review issues related to market competition, spectrum ownership and the potential impact on consumers.
Industry analysts believe that a combined entity could strengthen its financial capacity and increase investment in network infrastructure, which may help improve service quality and expand coverage in underserved areas. Officials noted that Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has already completed the technical, legal and competition assessments required under telecom regulations, and the remaining meeting with the management of Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited is largely procedural before the final decision is announced. If the ruling is issued this week, it will represent one of the most closely watched developments in Pakistan’s telecom sector in recent years.
Follow the SPIN IDG WhatsApp Channel for updates across the Smart Pakistan Insights Network covering all of Pakistan’s technology ecosystem.
