ISLAMABAD, October 22, 2024: The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has moved to the fourth hearing in its Phase II Merger Review concerning PTCL’s proposed acquisition of 100% shareholding in Telenor Pakistan and Orion Towers Limited.
The hearing is being conducted by a bench led by Chairman Dr. Kabir Ahmed Sidhu, with members Mr. Salman Amin and Mr. Abdul Rashid Sheikh.
This comprehensive review is focused on assessing potential market power concentration, competitive dynamics, and the overall impact on Pakistan’s telecommunications sector.
During the recent session, Mr. Asad Ladha, External Counsel for CM Pak (Zong), and Ms. Sameen Qureshi presented their submissions.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) was represented by Mr. Amer Shahzad, DG (Wireless – Licensing). The CCP bench also invited comments from PTCL, Wateen, Jazz, and Telenor.
A significant concern raised during the hearing was regarding spectrum allocation. Spectrum, a vital and limited resource for Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), plays a crucial role in determining market power.
Following the merger, the new entity, referred to as MergerCo, is projected to control 34.4% of the total allocated spectrum in the retail mobile telecommunications market.
In earlier hearings, legal representatives from PTCL, Wateen Telecom, and Jazz shared their insights on the implications of the merger.
The CCP’s officials are DG Shahzad Hussain, Barrister Ambreen Abbasi, and the head of the merger department Ms. Marryum Pervaiz.
The hearing has been adjourned until October 24, 2024, as the CCP continues its evaluation of this significant transaction in the telecommunications landscape.