Elon Musk’s Starlink service is set to launch in Pakistan within six months, according to the National Assembly Standing Committee on IT & Telecom.
The Parliamentary Secretary for IT and Telecom shared that Starlink applied for a license in February 2022, but due to the lack of a proper framework, the approval process has been delayed. She expects the license approval to take a few more months.
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Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Major General (R) Hafeez Ur Rehman, updated the committee, stating that 90% of the discussions between Starlink and the Space Regulatory Authority are complete.
The board, which operates under the military’s Strategic Plans Division, is handling the matter.
The committee expressed frustration over the ongoing delays and called on authorities to speed up the licensing process. They also urged the federal government to take action quickly.
One member of the committee emphasized the importance of protecting user data and suggested caution before granting the license.
The PTA Chairman also highlighted that the telecommunications sector has generated Rs. 1,700 billion in revenue for the government over the past six years. However, he noted that Pakistan has not invested in the telecom sector, while neighboring India has invested $13 billion in improving connectivity.
Despite this, the PTA assured that a fiberization policy is in progress, and 2,000 telecom towers were installed last year as part of a larger plan.
