Key Takeaways
- The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication proposes stricter competition rules for the telecom sector.
- Operators with Significant Market Power may be required to provide national roaming access.
- The new rules aim to protect consumer welfare and ensure efficient use of telecom infrastructure.
The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT) has proposed a new framework to regulate the telecom sector in Pakistan, aiming to enhance competition and protect consumer interests. The draft Telecommunication Competition Rules, 2026, seeks to empower the regulator to impose national roaming obligations on operators with Significant Market Power (SMP).
According to the draft, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) may require a licensee with SMP to provide national roaming access where necessary to promote effective competition, facilitate network expansion, and protect consumer welfare. The rules emphasize the need for such obligations to be fair, reasonable, transparent, and non-discriminatory.
The proposed framework is part of a broader effort to bring greater regulatory discipline to the telecom industry, which is undergoing significant consolidation and preparing for wider 5G deployment. The draft also includes enforcement powers for the PTA, allowing it to issue directions, require corrective measures, and initiate proceedings against violators.
The rules state that disputes arising under the framework may be adjudicated by the PTA in accordance with the law. The Authority will consider a range of factors, including market efficiency, consumer welfare, proportionality, technical feasibility, and competitive impact. These provisions are consistent with the broader policy objective of encouraging rapid nationwide telecom coverage.
The draft rules also seek to bring greater clarity to the application process for the PTA. Applications would be required to carry fees prescribed under Schedule-I, replacing the earlier wording referring to “reasonable fees.” The Authority would be empowered to issue guidelines, determinations, frameworks, or directions for carrying out the purposes of the rules.
The move is particularly significant against the backdrop of a long-running jurisdictional dispute between the MoITT, PTA, and the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) over competition regulation in the telecom sector. The Islamabad High Court had previously held that the CCP has overarching jurisdiction over competition matters.
The proposed national roaming provisions are consistent with the 2015 Telecom Policy, which had already envisaged national roaming for SMP operators on fair and non-discriminatory terms. The new rules come at a sensitive time for Pakistan’s telecom industry, where consolidation, spectrum concentration, infrastructure access, and competitive conditions are becoming increasingly important.
Recent PTA proposals have also suggested a 25-percent market-share threshold as an initial trigger for SMP assessment, alongside wider tests covering market concentration, spectrum holdings, essential infrastructure, financial strength, network effects, and barriers to entry.
