ISLAMABAD, Feb 12: The government plans to issue two more telecom licences for cellular phones to meet the growing demand for mobile phones in the country, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said on Saturday.

Cellular phone subscription has seen robust growth in Pakistan in recent years with the number of mobile phone users exceeding six million in September after doubling in just a year.

Officials expect that subscriptions will rise to nine million by June this year.

Speaking to a visiting executive from the French electronics defence group Thales, the premier said the government would issue two more licences for cellular mobile companies but did not say when.

The government issued licences to two new companies - Norwegian telecoms firm Telenor and Dubai-backed Al-Warid group, last year - raising the number of mobile operators in the country to six. Pakistani officials expect investments of $5 billion to $8 billion in its mobile and fixed-line sectors over the next five years due to the industry's deregulation.-Reuters