The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has received an application from Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) for the approval of its proposed acquisition of Telenor Pakistan (Private) Limited and Orion Towers (Private) Limited. This deal would transfer 100% of the shareholding/equity interest from Telenor Pakistan B.V. to PTCL, resulting in PTCL gaining control over Telenor Pakistan, Orion Towers, and Telenor LDI Communication (Pvt) Limited.
PTA has opened the floor for comments from telecom consumers, stakeholders, interested or affected parties, and the general public regarding this significant acquisition.
Simultaneously, the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) is conducting a phase-II review to assess the merger’s impact on market competition. This comprehensive review follows a phase-I evaluation, which raised concerns about potential competitive constraints within the telecom sector. The CCP is now deeply analyzing the merger, gathering data, and soliciting feedback to decide on the approval and possible conditions to maintain competitive fairness.
PTCL submitted the pre-merger application on March 6, 2024, and the CCP issued its phase-I order on May 3, 2024, moving the process to a more detailed phase-II review expected to conclude within 90 days. This phase involves a thorough investigation into how the merger could affect competition in the market.
