Pakistan is moving towards tighter competition rules for the telecom sector, with the government proposing stronger powers for the regulator to rein in dominant operators and improve access to networks.
The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT) has proposed the draft Telecommunication Competition Rules, 2026, which would create a dedicated competition framework for the country’s telecom markets.
Under the proposed rules, the regulator could require an operator with Significant Market Power (SMP) to offer national roaming to other operators where it considers the measure necessary.
The move could help expand coverage, improve the use of existing infrastructure and give consumers more choice, particularly in areas where network access remains limited.
National roaming obligations would have to be offered on fair, reasonable, transparent and non-discriminatory terms. The Authority would also decide whether an arrangement is technically feasible, how widely it should apply and how long it should remain in place.
The proposal comes as Pakistan’s telecom sector faces major changes, including industry consolidation and preparations for wider 5G deployment. Greater control over operators with strong market positions could therefore have a direct impact on how networks expand and compete.
The draft also gives the Authority wider enforcement powers. If a licensee breaches the proposed rules, the regulator could issue directions, order corrective action, impose proportionate regulatory obligations or start proceedings under the relevant law.
The Authority would also have the power to settle disputes arising under the proposed framework.
In deciding such disputes, it could look beyond the immediate issue and consider market efficiency, consumer welfare, proportionality, technical feasibility and the effect on competition.
The proposed rules also attempt to draw a line between sector regulation and wider competition law. They state that the framework would apply without affecting the jurisdiction of the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) under the Competition Act, 2010.
That provision carries particular weight given the long-running dispute over who should regulate competition in the telecom sector. The MoITT, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and CCP have previously differed over their respective roles, with the Islamabad High Court holding that the CCP has overarching jurisdiction over competition matters.
The draft also proposes tighter requirements for applications submitted to the Authority. Applicants would have to pay the fees specified in Schedule-I, replacing the earlier reference to “reasonable fees”.
The Authority could also issue guidelines, determinations, frameworks and directions needed to implement the proposed rules.
The push for national roaming is not entirely new. Pakistan’s 2015 Telecom Policy had already envisaged national roaming for operators with Significant Market Power on fair and non-discriminatory terms.
The proposed rules now seek to give that policy objective a clearer regulatory framework.
The timing is important. Pakistan’s telecom market is becoming more concentrated, while access to spectrum, infrastructure and networks is likely to play a bigger role as 5G services expand.
Recent PTA proposals have suggested a 25 per cent market share as an initial threshold for identifying an operator with SMP. The assessment could also take into account market concentration, spectrum holdings, control of essential infrastructure, financial strength, network effects and barriers to entry.
If adopted, the new framework could give regulators more room to intervene where a dominant position is seen as limiting competition, while putting consumer interests at the centre of decisions affecting Pakistan’s rapidly changing telecom market.