Govt weighs arbitration to recover $800m from Etisalat

Islamabad is preparing an international case over unpaid PTCL sale money, while senators protest they were denied the sale agreement itself.

The government is considering international arbitration to recover about $800m still unpaid from Etisalat’s 2005 PTCL purchase.

Of the $2.59bn sale price for a 26% stake with management control, $1.76bn was received; roughly $800m remains outstanding.

Etisalat, now e&, links the holdback to 32 of 3,246 PTCL properties still not transferred.

A July 2026 committee urged arbitration under the sale agreement, with opportunity cost since 2008 and damages.

Senate IT and privatisation committees were briefed in camera; members said they were not shown the sale purchase agreement.

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