ISLAMABAD: The long-delayed merger of Ufone and Telenor is finally nearing completion and is expected to be finalized within the next two weeks, officials from the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) informed the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication on Friday.
The completion of this high-profile deal is critical for Pakistan’s telecom landscape, as the Pakistan Telecommunication Auth ority (PTA) made it clear that the planned 5G spectrum auction, scheduled for December, cannot proceed until the merger is concluded.
The committee meeting, chaired by Senator Palwasha Mohammad Zai Khan, was held at the Old PIPS Hall, Parliament Lodges, and attended by Senators Nadeem Ahmed Bhutto, Dr Afnan Ullah Khan, Manzoor Ahmed Kakar, and Kamran Murtaza, along with senior officials from the Ministry of IT, PTA, and CCP.
CCP officials briefed the committee that the merger process, which has been under way for 18 months, faced multiple delays due to late submission of required data and procedural complexities. However, they assured lawmakers that the deal was now in its final stages and would be wrapped up within two weeks.
The PTA Chairman emphasized that the finalisation of this merger is a prerequisite for moving ahead with the 5G spectrum auction. He confirmed that while the Authority is fully prepared for the auction, certain unresolved issues tied to the merger must be settled before the process can begin.
Senator Kamran Murtaza, however, expressed skepticism over the timeline, questioning how a matter that had been delayed for nearly two years could be completed in just two weeks. Despite his reservations, officials reiterated their commitment to finalising the deal before December.
Another major issue taken up by the committee was the disputed collection of over Rs 6 billion in telecom tariffs by Jazz.
After reviewing the matter, senators decided to formally refer the case to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) for a detailed investigation and corrective action. Audit authorities had raised concerns about the validity of these collections, and the PTA confirmed that it had already submitted certain documents for verification. Lawmakers underscored the need to protect consumer interests and ensure transparency and accountability within the telecom sector.
The committee was also briefed on alarming reports of massive data theft incidents across the country.
The Ministry of Interior informed senators that it has launched a formal investigation into the theft and illegal sale of citizens’ personal information on the dark web. The PTA Chairman explained that stolen data is being compiled from various institutions and then sold online. While he noted that no telecom-specific data had surfaced on the dark web over the past two years, he stressed the urgent need for a national-level mechanism to secure sensitive information and coordinate responses to cyber threats.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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