Tech Desk 
Sep 02, 2025
The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunications, chaired by Senator Palwasha Khan, held a meeting regarding the licensing of Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet service in Pakistan and the future of the country's telecom sector.
Starlink has applied for a long-distance international (LDI) licence to operate in Pakistan. During the session, Senator Afnan Ullah accused Musk of conducting campaigns of discriminatory content against Pakistanis on social media and asked if the company should have a licence in Pakistan and whether he should have a licence as well.
"Before being given a licence, background checks must be done thoroughly," added Senator Anusha Rahman.
The committee agreed to call officers from the Competition Commission of Pakistan and Space Regulatory Authority to the next meeting to continue to process Starlink's licence (and matters of the telecom sector).
Earlier this year, the committee accused Musk of having an anti-Pakistan attitude with regard to his past comments about starting Starlink in Pakistan. Lawmakers also alleged Musk had sided with India to "push a false narrative".
One senator even suggested Musk should publicly apologise before he can bring Starlink into Pakistan.
However, the Secretary of IT clarified that Musk’s online remarks were misleading and had no bearing on formal discussions about Starlink’s entry into the local market.
