The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has approved the merger of Telenor Pakistan (Private) Limited into Pak Telecom Mobile Limited (Ufone), marking a significant step in Pakistan’s telecom sector consolidation.

In a written judgment, Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro sanctioned the merger scheme under the Companies Act, 2017, concluding that it complied with all legal requirements and served the public interest.

Under the approved arrangement, Telenor Pakistan’s entire undertaking—including its assets, property, contractual rights, liabilities, and obligations—will be transferred to Pak Telecom Mobile Limited. Following the merger’s effective date, Telenor Pakistan will cease to exist as a separate legal entity without the need for separate liquidation proceedings.

The court directed the petitioner to submit a certified copy of the order to the Registrar of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), which will complete the statutory process required to implement the merger.

The judgment also requires the merged entity to fulfill all applicable legal, regulatory, and financial obligations before the transaction is fully executed.

While approving the scheme, the IHC observed that its review was limited to ensuring compliance with the Companies Act, 2017 rather than assessing the commercial merits of the transaction. After examining the record, the court found that the statutory requirements had been met and that the merger was fair, lawful, and not prejudicial to the public interest.

The court’s approval removes a major legal hurdle for the combination of Telenor Pakistan and Ufone, paving the way for the companies to complete the remaining regulatory and operational formalities before the merger takes effect.