Business Desk 
Oct 30, 2025
An image of Telenor logo is seen displayed in this illustration taken, May 3, 2022. — Reuters
Nearly two years after it announced to cease its operations in the country, Telenor's departure from Pakistan seems to be reeling from regulatory approval, as Telenor Group has received initial approval from the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP).
The approval is a notable one among Telenor's strides to exit from Pakistan, and the closing of the transaction might be delayed until 2026.
In its third-quarter report, Telenor stated that while macroeconomic indicators in Pakistan showed slight improvement, they remain vulnerable to external shocks and political instability.
The telecom service provider in December 2023 agreed to sell its entire Pakistan operations to Pakistan Telecommunications Company Ltd (PTCL). While this transaction was approved by the CCP on September 30, 2025, Telenor is now seeking approval from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to finalise the deal.
It should be noted that Telenor Pakistan is not yet classified as a discontinued entity, thanks to uncertainties surrounding remaining regulatory approvals.
The company expects to obtain the necessary approvals soon and believes the process will accelerate following this milestone.
This development follows Telenor reporting strong service revenue growth of 15.1% in Pakistan, primarily driven by data revenues, despite a decline in voice revenue.
Significant contributors to Telenor's latest success in Pakistan include athe 18% rise in average Revenue Per User (ARPU), although the subscription base decreased by 4%.
