Tech Desk 
May 02, 2025
SpaceX logo and Elon Musk seen in this illustration, December 19, 2022. — Reuters
Federal IT and Telecom Minister Shaza Fatima has assured that Starlink will go live in Pakistan by December 2025, without any delay in its licensing. She denied all reports of a delay, stating the project is on track as scheduled.
Starlink will likely take five or six months to develop its local infrastructure before rolling out in Pakistan.
Starlink to launch in Pakistan by December 2025
In an interview with the media, the IT minister informed that a consultant has been hired by the Pakistan Space Activities Regulatory Board to prepare the rulebook for LEO satellite systems. The rulebook will be finalised in June of this year.
She said that Starlink has been working in collaboration with local institutions and is living up to its commitments.
Notably, the minister also made it known that Chinese satellite corporations such as Galaxy Space and Shanghai Space have expressed interest in accessing Pakistan's satellite internet market.
However, they have not presented any formal application.
Moreover, Fatima asserted that the space policy of Pakistan is open and non-exclusive and therefore any foreign company can make an investment and do business according to local policies.
Talking about the telecom industry, she observed that the sector is under strain because of increasing expenses and a low average revenue per user (ARPU), which is a mere Rs270, the lowest in the region.
She added that the coming spectrum auction would possibly enhance the services.
When questioned regarding the ban on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), she replied that the matter was not freedom of speech.
Furthermore, the platform has not approached the IT Ministry and is not following Pakistani laws, as compared to other international platforms that are in regular touch.
