5G auction delay in Pakistan tied to PTCL–Telenor deal stalemate

Details: Manny Pham; Category: Regulation; 04 July 2025; 9055 views

Pakistan’s long-awaited 5G spectrum auction is facing delays due to Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL), which is allegedly withholding key documents related to its proposed acquisition of Telenor Pakistan, according to the country’s Minister for IT and Telecommunications.

A report by local newapaper Dawn stated that PTCL has yet to submit critical paperwork to the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP), stalling the regulatory process needed to move forward with the auction.

Sources speaking to the publication accused PTCL of sowing confusion and dragging its feet, preventing the CCP from conducting its evaluation of the deal.

Telenor, which announced plans to sell its Pakistani operations and exit the market by mid-2025, has not yet received the regulatory green light, missing its own projected timeline.

Minister of IT and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja confirmed that the primary cause of the 5G auction delay is the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the future of both Ufone (a PTCL subsidiary) and Telenor Pakistan.

“The CCP is an independent body, and we are awaiting its decision on the proposed merger. Neither the IT Ministry nor the government can influence the Commission in the performance of its regulatory functions,” Khawaja told Dawn.