The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has renewed the Long Distance International (LDI) License of Wateen Telecom Limited for 20 years.
The formal signing ceremony took place in Islamabad on Thursday. Senior leadership from PTA and Wateen attended the event.
Over the past year, Wateen worked closely with PTA to amicably resolve the Access Promotion Contribution (APC) matter related to the Universal Service Fund (USF). The sides formalised the settlement through an order of the Sindh High Court dated October 22, 2025. Both the PTA and the Ministry of IT and Telecom endorsed the order.
The renewal underscores Wateen’s long-term commitment to advancing Pakistan’s ICT sector. As one of the company’s core operational assets, the LDI License enables the deployment of long-haul optical fibre infrastructure and the delivery of nationwide IP and voice traffic.
With its extensive and growing fibre footprint, Wateen continues to play a pivotal role in strengthening Pakistan’s digital backbone. It is supporting emerging technologies, including the upcoming 5G rollout.
Water CEO Adil Rashid:
Adil Rashid, Chief Executive Officer of Wateen Telecom has linked the renewal of company’s LDI License to a testament to Wateen’s consistent compliance. It shows Wateen’s operational excellence, and contribution to Pakistan’s digital ecosystem, he said.
“It reinforces our commitment to expanding the country’s connectivity backbone and supporting national 5G readiness. The 5G readiness, he said, through the fibre infrastructure becomes essential for future networks. Wateen remains dedicated to empowering CMOs, enterprises, and government institutions in their digital transformation journeys and driving sustainable technological progress.”
This milestone distinguishes Wateen as a compliant, responsible, and forward-looking leader in Pakistan’s telecommunications landscape — particularly at a time when several other LDI operators remain mired in APC disputes with pending license renewals.
