
The government of Pakistan on Tuesday announced that Elon Musk’s satellite-based internet services will be launched in the country within six months.
The update was shared during a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on IT & Telecom, where officials discussed the progress of Starlink’s impending approval.
Starlink’s approval process nears completion
Parliamentary Secretary for IT and Telecom revealed that Starlink applied for a license in February 2022, but Pakistan lacked a regulatory framework to process the request at the time.
As of now, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is finalising the approval and the license is expected to be granted in the coming months.
PTA Chairman Major General (R) Hafeez Ur Rehman informed the committee that 90% of discussions between Starlink and the space regulatory authority have been completed.
He also mentioned that another satellite internet company had applied for a license alongside Starlink, though details about the company were not disclosed.
Govt urged to speed up Starlink’s launch
The committee criticised the delays in Starlink’s approval process and urged authorities to speed up the licensing procedure. Some members stressed the importance of data protection and called for strict measures before granting the license.
The PTA chairman also highlighted that despite generating Rs1,700 billion in revenue over six years, the telecom sector has received no government investment. He compared this to India, where the government has spent $13 billion on improving connectivity.