PTCL Group posts Rs4.7bn profit as Ufone-Telenor merger drives revenue past Rs304bn
ISLAMABAD: PTCL Group posted a net profit of Rs4.7 billion as its revenue exceeded Rs304 billion during the July–September period of calendar year 2026, with the Ufone–Telenor amalgamation doing the heavy lifting.
The group comprises three entities: Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd, the merged telecom company (Ufone and Telenor) and U Microfinance Bank (Ubank).
Announcing the financial results on Thursday, PTCL Chief Executive Officer Nadeem Khan said the company posted a 343 per cent surge in its net profit to Rs3 billion.
The PTCL profit Rs4.7 billion figure reflects one of the clearest turnarounds in Pakistani telecom in recent years. Consolidated revenue grew 62 per cent year-on-year for the nine months ended September 30, while consolidated operating profit rose 181 per cent.
Mobile business delivers 139pc revenue growth
The mobile business, including the merged telecom company, saw revenue rise 139 per cent over the same period last year, while operating profit stood at Rs33.5 billion.
Chief Operating Officer of the merged telecom company, Atif Raza, said the new telco was integrating and rebranding. Around 40 per cent of Ufone and Telenor infrastructure had been integrated, benefiting about 70 per cent of its 76 million customers, he said.
Ubank generated revenue of Rs18.3 billion and reported an operating profit during the period, compared with an operating loss in the corresponding period last year.
PTCL’s own revenue grew 9 per cent year-on-year, led by a 26 per cent rise in Flash Fiber revenue, 15 per cent growth in business solutions, 13 per cent in carrier and wholesale, and 11 per cent in international business. The company posted an operating profit of Rs11 billion.
CEO flags highest-ever cost of doing business
Khan said the group’s profitability was expected to improve, but flagged that the cost of doing business was at its highest level, including high electricity charges, fuel prices and other inflationary impacts.
“We are continuously pursuing the government to award an industrial electricity tariff to the telecom sector instead of the commercial tariff. This will help expand telecom infrastructure to remote areas,” he said.
The demand lands at a moment when the government has been revising fuel prices frequently and energy costs are squeezing corporate margins across sectors, from textiles to manufacturing.
PTCL Group invested over Rs53 billion during the first nine months of the current calendar year.
PTCL profit Rs4.7 billion: the consumer push with iPhone bundles
The results also reflect PTCL’s push into bundled consumer offers. During the quarter, the company partnered with Mercantile to introduce the iPhone 18 with a Flash Fiber bundle, tying its premium broadband product to the country’s most-watched smartphone launch.
On the policy front, the telecom sector is watching the regulator closely. The PTA has been backing cheaper mobile phones to grow the subscriber base, even as industry voices warn against a rushed 5G launch.
The PTA’s proposed power to revisit telecom mergers beyond a one-year limit — reported earlier this month — could also shape how the Ufone–Telenor integration is viewed by regulators going forward.
For subscribers, the integration story is the one to watch. With 76 million customers now under one mobile umbrella, the pace of network integration in the coming quarters will decide whether the merger’s promise turns into better coverage or just a bigger balance sheet.
Sources: Dawn reported the financial results; The Nation carried the company’s detailed statement.
FAQ
How much profit did PTCL Group post?
PTCL Group posted a net profit of Rs4.7 billion for the nine months ended September 30, 2026, with consolidated operating profit up 181 per cent year-on-year.
What drove PTCL’s profit growth?
The amalgamation of Ufone and Telenor Pakistan under PTML was the main driver. Mobile business revenue rose 139 per cent, while PTCL’s own Flash Fiber revenue grew 26 per cent and business solutions 15 per cent.
What did the PTCL CEO say about costs?
CEO Nadeem Khan said the cost of doing business was at its highest level, citing electricity charges and fuel prices, and urged the government to grant the telecom sector an industrial electricity tariff instead of the commercial tariff.
