Pakistan’s biggest telecom consolidation moved into its final stage on Tuesday after the Islamabad High Court approved the amalgamation of Telenor Pakistan (Private) Limited into Pak Telecom Mobile Limited (PTML), removing the last major legal obstacle to the integration of the two mobile operators.

Sources said the merged entity would eventually phase out both the Ufone and Telenor brands and adopt the “e&” identity as part of the UAE-based group’s broader global branding strategy.

The move is expected to bring Pakistan in line with e&’s international telecom operations, where the group has been consolidating businesses under a unified global brand.

The court’s approval came after the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority had already issued the final no-objection certificate for the merger, paving the way for operational integration of the two companies.

Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro sanctioned the Scheme of Amalgamation under Sections 279 to 283 and 285(8) of the Companies Act, 2017, holding that the merger met all legal requirements, was fair to shareholders and creditors, and was not against the public interest.

The court observed that all secured creditors of both companies had unanimously approved the merger after submitting their no-objection certificates.

It also noted that the International Finance Corporation consortium had separately filed its no-objection certificate before the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan.

With the legal and regulatory approvals now in place, the merger is set to move towards full operational execution, marking a major shift in Pakistan’s telecom landscape.