• IT minister announces provisional permission for satellite internet firm
• Official says discussions ongoing on issues, such as internet shutdown for security reasons
• Move follows pilot testing by military in February

ISLAMABAD: Starlink, the internet company owned by billionaire Elon Musk, has received provisional permission to start its services in Pakistan.

Starlink, which provides internet connectivity through satellites, has been allowed to enter the market on the instructions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other government agencies, Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja said in a statement on Friday.

“Starlink’s arrival in Pakistan will mark the formal launch of satellite internet services,” she added.

Permission from the Pakistan Space Activities Regulatory Board (PSARB) will pave the way for Mr Musk’s company to provide internet access in Pakistan.

After registering with the PSARB, Starlink will need an operating licence from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to commence its business.

The company and the telecom regulator would sign an agreement over key issues, including fee payment and other licensing requirements, the IT minister said.

A senior PTA official told Dawn that the regulator would take up the issue on Monday.

The government has been looking to fast-track the permission process, and codal formalities will be completed in two weeks, the official added.

“Discussions have already been held with the Starlink team, but mutual agreement over key points related to the shutdown of services in any area over security reasons were yet to be reached,” the official said.

Authorities frequently shut down mobile internet during key religious and political events.

Telecom companies, also regulated by the PTA, are bound to comply with the government’s directives to restrict the internet anytime. How this arrangement will work with Starlink, whose owner, Mr Musk, has been a vocal critic of government regulations, is yet to be seen.

While Starlink has just received formal permission to operate in Pakistan, the government has claimed the service was being used in areas along the Afghanistan border where land internet infrastructure is non-existent.

Since Starlink provides internet by bouncing beams from a satellite onto a receiver, it can be accessed by using a small gadget to catch signals.

A senior PTA official told Dawn that terrorist groups were using the internet through satellites by using smuggled equipment registered in the name of users in the Middle East.

Starlink’s services were even being used by IT companies, which the government claimed was illegal.

Earlier in January, a senior executive of an IT company told Dawn they were using Starlink’s internet through equipment sourced from the UK.

Improved access

Starlink uses around 6,000 Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites it has put into space to provide internet to remote locations.

The LEO technology benefits Starlink by allowing it to provide internet to users in areas not connected via fibre optic cables due to low returns on investment.

Ms Khawaja said modern solutions like satellite internet will improve connectivity in the country, mainly in remote areas.

However, experts have said Starlink’s arrival in Pakistan won’t be the panacea to the country’s connectivity woes, where only 145 million out of over 240m people are connected to either mobile or fixed broadband.

In an article published in Dawn, Kazim Mujtaba, Consumer Division president at Jazz, said while Starlink will boost connectivity, it was not a replacement for mobile network operators (MNOs).

“In Pakistan, where the digital divide is exacerbated by smartphone affordability, digital literacy, and cultural barriers, terrestrial networks remain indispensable for last-mile connectivity and inclusive access,” he said.

Mr Mujtaba said the arrival of Starlink would be an opportunity for existing MNOs to partner with the company for better service delivery.

More than one company

Faced with persistent internet disruptions, Pakistanis, earlier this year, tagged Mr Musk on his social media platform, X, urging him to bring Stanlink to Pakistan.

In reply, Mr Musk confirmed his company had applied for a licence.

It was followed by pilot testing by PSARB in February.

As part of the security requirements, the pilot testing was conducted by a team of experts from the Army, Air Force, IT ministry, PTA, frequency allocation board, and other bodies.

Apart from the US-based Starlink, a Chi­nese company, Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology, is also vying to enter Pakistan.

The company’s representatives have met with senior officials as well as the IT minister.

Published in Dawn, March 22nd, 2025