Jurisdiction Dispute Delays Finalization of Telecom Competition Rules

In practice, a longstanding jurisdictional dispute between the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has delayed the finalisation of Telecommunication Competition Rules, 2026, according to documents presented during a briefing on a Senate question.

Key points

• The documents state that the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication shared draft Telecommunication Competition Rules with PTA on January 21, 2026.
• Add ProPakistani to Preferred Sources and see more of our stories in Google Search and Top Stories.
• Add as a preferredSource on Google Follow on Google News Join WhatsApp.
• The Islamabad High Court lately ruled that the CCP has exclusive authority over competition-related matters.
• The central matter worries which institution has legal authority to regulate competition in the telecom sector.

Notably, the documents state that the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication shared draft Telecommunication Competition Rules with PTA on January 21, 2026. After a number of rounds of correspondence, the ministry sent an amended draft on July 7, to which PTA submitted its comments on July 27. The matter at present remains pending with the ministry.

Meanwhile, the central matter worries which institution has legal authority to regulate competition in the telecom sector. While PTA has defended its role by referring to the mandate and scope provided under the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organisation) Act, 1996, the Ministry of IT has maintained that PTA does not have jurisdiction over telecom competition matters. PTA Tells Telcos to Rapidly Report Tower Theft Cases.

Notably, the Islamabad High Court lately ruled that the CCP has exclusive authority over competition-related matters. PTA has challenged the ruling before the Supreme Court of Pakistan, arguing that the authority has a competition-related mandate under the telecom law. The case remains pending before the apex court.

While Clause 5.1.2 of the Telecommunication Policy assigns their development to the Ministry of IT, the federal administration is responsible for framing the rules under Section 57 of the telecom law. While an earlier draft titled the Pakistan Telecommunication Fair Competition Rules was circulated in 2009, but a final framework has yet to be notified, work on the rules dates back to amendments created in 2006. Stay Connected with ProPakistani.

Obtain the latest tech news, telecom insights, and product launches wherever you prefer. Follow on Google Discover.

For now, jurisdiction Dispute Delays Finalization of Telecom Competition Rules remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.