The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is expected to announce its decision on the proposed merger between Ufone and Telenor Pakistan on Wednesday after completing the required regulatory process, according to officials familiar with the matter.
The announcement was initially expected earlier this week, but it was postponed as a key meeting between the regulator and the management of Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) could not take place on Monday. Officials said the meeting is a formal step in the merger review process and must be held before the final decision is made public.
Sources said Hatem Bamatraf, President and Group Chief Executive Officer of PTCL and Ufone, was not available to attend the scheduled interaction with the PTA’s merger authority earlier. The meeting is now expected to take place this week, after which the minutes of the discussion will be issued the same day.
Once the procedural requirements are completed and the meeting record is formally documented, the PTA is likely to publicly communicate its decision regarding the proposed transaction.
The merger proposal between Ufone and Telenor Pakistan has been under regulatory review for several months. If approved, it would combine the operations of the two companies and significantly reshape Pakistan’s mobile telecommunications market.
At present, Pakistan’s telecom industry operates with four major mobile network operators: Jazz, Zong, Ufone and Telenor Pakistan. Approval of the deal would effectively reduce the number of operators from four to three.
Regulators have therefore examined the proposal carefully, particularly in areas such as market competition, spectrum ownership and the possible impact on consumers.
Industry analysts say the merger could help the combined company strengthen its financial position and invest more in network infrastructure. This could potentially improve service quality and expand coverage, especially in areas where network capacity remains limited.
Officials added that the PTA has already completed the technical, legal and competition assessments required under the country’s telecom regulations. The remaining meeting between PTCL management and the authority is largely procedural before the final announcement.
If the decision is announced this week, it will mark one of the most significant developments in Pakistan’s telecom sector in recent years.
