Global telecom giant Telenor has issued a sharp rebuke over Pakistan’s sluggish regulatory machinery, blaming persistent delays in its sale to PTCL for a continued collapse in its local user base.
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Despite announcing its exit in December 2023, Telenor Group now expects the deal to limp across the finish line no earlier than late 2025—two years after the planned sale—thanks to bureaucratic hurdles that remain unresolved.
In its Q1 2025 report released in Norway, Telenor minced no words: regulatory approvals “are taking far longer than anticipated,” and as a result, Telenor Pakistan’s consumer base has shrunk by over 3% in just three months. The company is still waiting for a green light from authorities who seem indifferent to the damage being done to both the operator and the market.
While the company posted a modest 12.5% rise in revenue per user—driven by lower energy costs and improved macroeconomic stability—officials warned that such gains are unsustainable without regulatory clarity. Total revenue hit Rs27 billion this quarter, yet the shadow of uncertainty looms large over its operations.
“We continue to engage with authorities, but the lack of urgency is damaging for all stakeholders,” said a Telenor executive, clearly frustrated by red tape strangling Pakistan’s telecom sector.
The saga reflects broader dysfunction within Pakistan’s telecom governance, where foreign investors face chronic delays and opaque decision-making. With over Rs120 billion in annual revenue at stake, Telenor’s fading patience could be a wake-up call to policymakers.
Industry insiders warn that if Pakistan wants to retain international investor confidence, it must stop sending deals like this into a regulatory black hole.
