Telecom sector of Pakistan is one of the sectors which had been started for foreign investment by the Government of Pakistan. This sector stayed speaks of town in the last year when new global renowned companies went into in the telecom market of Pakistan. Two additional technology mobile phone licenses were issued to Telenor and Warid under the cellular mobile policy. These licenses were given through open public sale for US$ 291 million each. In respond to ads of PTA for these licenses, More than 33 applications were received from all crossways the world. Pakistan Telecommunication Association finally selected 9 applicants to take part in the bidding. US$ 10 million had to be deposited as intense money in cash with PTA for being entitled to take part in the bidding. The earnest money was held in reserve obligatory to permit only serious investors. The earnest money of successful bidders was consequently adjusted to auction winning price.
FDI in Telecom Sector
| (US $ Million) | |||
| Year | Total FDI | FDI In Telecom | Telecom (%) Share |
| 2011-12 | 484.7 | 6.1 | 1.26 |
| 2012-13 | 798 | 13.5 | 1.69 |
| 2013-14 | 949.4 | 207.1 | 21.81 |
| 2014-15 (July-Sept) | 1029.76 | 152.02 | 14.76 |
Telenor and Warid are setting up to invest over US $ 500 million in 2015 and part of this investment would be investment by foreign sources whereas rest would be investment from domestic sources including the reinvestment of their profits. All these six operators intended investment of over US $ I billion every year in next three years in their roll out plan. in addition cellular operators, government also striped 27% PTCL shares to a UAE support company and brought over US $ 2.5 billion as FDI.
This huge flow of FDI in Pakistan telecom sector certainly generates optimistic force on local economy. Adaptable the FDI suitably, PTA and State Bank together can help out in getting numerous result of this investment in real sense.
