Starlink to Launch in Pakistan Within Six Months: IT & Telecom Committee Update
The National Assembly Standing Committee on IT & Telecom was informed on Tuesday that Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service is expected to launch in Pakistan within six months. Parliamentary Secretary for IT and Telecom, Sabeen Ghauri, shared that Starlink applied for a license in February 2022. However, at that time, the authorities did not have the necessary framework to process the application. Ghauri estimated that approval could take a few more months.
Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Major General (R) Hafeez Ur Rehman, revealed that 90 percent of Starlink’s discussions with the Space Regulatory Authority have already been concluded. He added that the authority is operating under the Strategic Plans Division (military) and is managing the matter. Rehman also mentioned that another satellite company had applied for a license alongside Starlink.
READ MORE: Gold Prices in Pakistan Maintain Record High, Silver Prices Stable
The committee members expressed their dissatisfaction with the bureaucratic delays hindering the approval process and urged the relevant authorities to expedite Starlink’s licensing procedure. One member stressed the importance of ensuring the protection of user data, urging caution in granting the license.
Rehman also pointed out that the PTA has contributed Rs. 1,700 billion in revenue to the government over the past six years, despite the government not having made any investments in the telecom sector. He contrasted this with India, which has invested $13 billion in connectivity under Prime Minister Modi, while Pakistan has not invested in fiberization. Nonetheless, the PTA Chairman assured that the IT Ministry is working on a fiberization policy, and 2,000 telecom towers were installed in the previous year under a comprehensive plan.
