Islamabad — Jazz has welcomed the Competition Commission of Pakistan’s (CCP) conditional approval of PTCL’s acquisition of Telenor Pakistan, calling it a turning point for the telecom sector — and a chance to move beyond unsustainable price wars toward innovation-led growth.
Kazim Mujtaba, President of the Consumer Division at Jazz, said the merger marks “an important milestone for Pakistan’s telecom industry, which has long struggled with low revenues and declining average revenue per user (ARPU).”
He urged policymakers and industry players to “seize this moment to end price undercutting and focus instead on service-based competition.”
“We hope the new entity competes by offering improved digital services in health, education, payments, cloud, and entertainment rather than engaging in unsustainable pricing. That will help realize Pakistan’s digital ambitions,” Mujtaba noted.
Highlighting Jazz’s own evolution from a traditional operator to a ServiceCo, Mujtaba cited platforms such as JazzCash, Tamasha, Garaj, SIMOSA, FikrFree, and GameNow, which have expanded access to financial, entertainment, and enterprise solutions. He said the merger would further accelerate the digital agenda across the market, ultimately benefiting consumers through better choice and innovation.
However, Mujtaba emphasized that sustainable competition also depends on fair spectrum allocation.
“Healthy competition requires a level playing field and sufficient spectrum. Without that, even strong operators cannot deliver the desired digital experience,” he warned.
The CCP’s approval of PTCL’s acquisition of 100% shareholding in Telenor Pakistan and Orion Towers includes safeguards to ensure fair competition — such as maintaining independent management, preventing cross-subsidization, ensuring equal infrastructure access, and submitting compliance reports for five years.
The regulator stated that the merger would enhance service quality, expand product offerings, and accelerate Pakistan’s 5G rollout, while PTCL said it would strengthen network coverage and drive innovation in line with the government’s Digital Pakistan vision.
Mujtaba concluded that Jazz supports any move fostering a level playing field and service-led competition, saying:
“If the merger encourages investment and innovation, it will benefit not just the telecom industry but Pakistan’s entire digital ecosystem.”
