The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has finally cleared Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited’s (PTCL) acquisition of rival Telenor Pakistan and Orion Towers, subject to a series of stringent conditions.
In its announcement, the CCP said the approval comes with “extensive conditions designed to preserve competition,” including measures to ensure non-discriminatory access and that efficiency gains are passed on to consumers.
Key stipulations include: PTCL and the merged entity maintaining separate boards and management teams; strict integrity and competency requirements for senior leadership (with Etisalat tasked to ensure professional oversight); adherence to independent evaluations and audits; and fair, non-discriminatory access to capacity and infrastructure for all operators.
CCP Chairman Dr. Kabir Ahmed Sidhu stressed that despite the merger reducing the number of mobile operators in Pakistan from four to three, consumer interests remain protected and “healthy competition” will continue. He noted the commission carried out an “extensive review” of the deal - which significantly tested the patience of stakeholders.
Telenor Asia head Jon Omund Revhaug had previously urged the CCP to grant approval, warning that further delays could stall Pakistan’s digital economy.
In a statement, Telenor added: “We believe this transaction will strengthen Pakistan’s telecoms sector. This CCP approval is a significant milestone in the process, which will now move forward for approval by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). We look forward to a timely process and the final completion of the transaction soon.”
Telenor Pakistan currently serves 43 million customers. Should the PTA give its approval, the merged entity - combining PTCL’s Ufone with Telenor Pakistan - would control around 70 million subscribers, making it the second-largest operator behind Jazz with 74 million. China Mobile-owned Zong would rank third with 52 million subscribers.
