Starlink services to launch in Pakistan by November-December: IT Minister

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information Technology (IT) Shaza Fatima has announced that Starlink services will be available in Pakistan by November or December this year.

This statement was made during a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on IT and Telecom, chaired by the committee’s Chairman Aminul Haque, in which the issue of Starlink licensing was considered. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman briefed the committee on the matter.

The PTA Chairman said that the Space Board has granted a temporary license to Starlink, and a full license will be issued after finalizing their regulations.

Currently, the Starlink license is in the process of being issued.

The committee’s Chairman Aminul Haque asked about the challenges related to the Starlink license.

Minister Shaza Fatima clarified that there is no major issue with the Starlink license. She explained that satellite internet is a new technology, and various aspects of it need to be considered. A consultant has been hired to finalize the regulations, and once they are ready, Starlink will need to reapply.

Shaza Fatima also said that a Chinese company had applied for satellite internet services, and once the necessary infrastructure is in place, Starlink services will be available in Pakistan by November or December.

She stressed that the government also wants to provide opportunities for other companies in the space internet sector. An application has also been received from a Chinese company, Shanghai Spacecom, and the aim is to encourage more companies to promote a competitive environment.