Islamabad, The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has addressed inaccuracies circulated by various media outlets regarding the ongoing evaluation of a pre-merger application submitted by Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL). PTCL has proposed to acquire full shareholding of Telenor Pakistan (Private) Limited and Orion Towers Private Limited, a significant consolidation in the nation’s telecom sector.

According to Competition Commission of Pakistan, the application process encountered an initial hiccup with the submission of an incorrect fee, subsequently rectified on March 6, 2024. Despite this, the CCP is still awaiting additional required information from PTCL’s legal representatives, necessary to advance its comprehensive review of the merger. The commission emphasized that its standard procedure allows for a 30-working-day review period, set to begin once all requested details have been provided.

The merger, one of 21 applications currently under the CCP’s examination, could markedly alter Pakistan’s mobile telecommunications landscape. With five major operators active before Jazz’s acquisition of Warid in 2016, and PTCL’s ownership of Ufone, this proposed acquisition promises to further consolidate market players, prompting concerns from competitors about potential impacts on competition.

The CCP has made a public appeal to the media to refrain from speculative reporting on the merger, advising consultations with the commission for accurate updates. This move underscores the CCP’s commitment to transparency and due diligence in overseeing a merger that stands to significantly reshape the competitive dynamics within Pakistan’s telecommunication industry.