Pakistan’s active SIMs hit 210m, PTA confirms merger

August 07, 2026 (MLN): Pakistan's active mobile SIM base has reached 210 million, while the planned merger between Ufone and Telenor will lead to the creation of a new telecom company, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman informed the Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat on Thursday.

The committee, chaired by Senator Rana Mahmood-ul-Hassan, was attended by Senators Saadia Abbasi, Aamir Waliuddin Chishti and Saleem Mandviwalla, along with Cabinet Secretary Kamran Ali Afzal.

During a briefing on the Telecom Competition Rules, the PTA chairman addressed concerns over service disruptions on Ufone's network after committee members sought an explanation for the recurring outages.

He said Ufone, as a government-owned operator, is facing operational challenges but expressed confidence that the issues would be resolved in the coming days. He further informed the committee that PTCL and Ufone are being separated as part of an ongoing restructuring process.

The PTA chairman also confirmed that the merger of Ufone and Telenor will result in the establishment of a new telecom company.

On digital services, he said the PTA is working with the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to enable SIM issuance through the Pak ID digital platform. The initiative would allow citizens to obtain SIMs remotely without visiting customer service centers.

During the meeting, Senator Saleem Mandviwalla emphasized the need to accelerate the adoption of eSIM technology in Pakistan, noting that many countries have already transitioned toward eSIMs while Pakistan continues to lag behind.

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