Jurisdiction Dispute Delays Finalization of Telecom Competition Rules

A legal dispute between Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has caused delays in the completion of the Telecommunication Competition Rules, 2026, according to Senate briefing documents. The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication initially shared draft rules with PTA on January 21, 2026, but after multiple exchanges, the ministry sent an amended draft on July 7.

PTA responded with comments on July 27, and the issue remains unresolved with the ministry. The core disagreement involves which organization holds the authority to regulate competition in the telecom sector. The Ministry of IT claims PTA lacks jurisdiction, whereas PTA asserts its rights based on the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organisation) Act, 1996.

The Islamabad High Court recently ruled in favor of the CCP, stating it has sole authority over competition issues. PTA has appealed this decision to the Supreme Court, contending that the authority has a competition mandate according to telecom law. The federal government oversees rule-making per Section 57, while Clause 5.1.2 of the Telecommunication Policy appoints the Ministry of IT for their development.

The process began with 2006 amendments, and a prior draft, "Pakistan Telecommunication Fair Competition Rules," was released in 2009, but a definitive framework still has not been implemented.