Malaysia's dominant telecom firm, Telekom Malaysia Bhd. is among short-listed bidders for a 26 percent stake in Pakistan Telecommunication Co Ltd, Malaysia's state news agency Bernama reported. "We are on the shortlist, we are preparing our bid and I believe they will be closing the deal at the end of the month," Bernama's Website cited Telekom Malaysia Chairman Tan Sri Muhammad Radzi Mansor as saying on Saturday. Some 14 companies have expressed an interest in buying the 26-percent stake in Pakistan's state-controlled telecom firm.

With a market value of $ 5.5 billion, according to Reuters data, it is the second largest company listed on the Karachi bourse behind Oil & Gas Development Company.

Some of the other interested parties include Emirates Telecommunication Corporation of the UAE, Singapore Telecommunications Limited, Mobile Telecommunications Co from Kuwait, MTN International (Pty) Ltd of South Africa, Saudi Oger Limited and Saudi Telecom.

Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said on Friday a shortlist had been prepared, and a deal would be completed "in the next couple of months."

The government holds 88 percent of the shares in Pakistan Telecommunication Co.

Copyright Reuters, 2005