https://arab.news/2w6e9
- Starlink owner Elon Musk has said company is awaiting government approval to launch services in Pakistan
- PTA says Starlink is yet to obtain security clearance, a prerequisite for obtaining a license and launching services
ISLAMABAD: The chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Maj Gen (retd) Hafeez ur Rehman, met Starlink officials in Spain this week as the international telecommunications provider seeks approvals to launch operations in Pakistan.
US businessman Elon Musk, who owns Starlink, has said the company is awaiting government approval to launch services in Pakistan. Starlink has completed registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), according to Musk. The PTA, however, has said Starlink is yet to obtain security clearance, a prerequisite for obtaining a license and launching services in Pakistan.
Starlink users access the Internet for data or voice communication by using a small dish antenna to bounce signals off a constellation of satellites overhead.
“The discussion focused on improving affordable broadband access, particularly in underserved areas, to bridge the digital divide and accelerate digital transformation,” the PTA said in a statement after the meeting between the authority’s chairman and Starlink officials on the sidelines of the GSMA Mobile World Congress 2025 in Barcelona.
The PTA chairman confirmed that Starlink’s registration was in process with the national satellite regulatory body, a legal prerequisite for getting a PTA license for satellite-based Internet services.
“The Starlink team shared insights on satellite-based Internet solutions in competitive World of Cellular Mobile services and its potential impact on remote regions. Both sides discussed regulatory frameworks and operational strategies for seamless service integration,” the statement added.
Pakistan’s telecom sector has evolved significantly over the past two decades, but still faces challenges in terms of infrastructure development, especially in rural and remote areas, gaps that the possible entry of Starlink could address, its proponents say.
Pakistan, with a population of over 240 million, has experienced a 40 percent drop in Internet speeds in recent months, due to what is widely believed to be the government’s implementation of a nationwide firewall that it says is aimed at blocking malicious content and protecting networks.
The South Asian nation incurred $1.62 billion in losses due to Internet outages and social media shutdowns in 2024, surpassing losses in war-torn Sudan and Myanmar, according to a Top10VPN.com report. Rights activists say the disruptions are part of a state-led digital crackdown aimed at censoring critical voices. The government denies this.