Starlink plans to set up multiple ground stations in Pakistan

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Starlink, the satellite internet service owned by Elon Musk, has officially registered with Pakistan's Securities and Exchange Commission (SECP) under the name "Starlink Internet Services (Private) Limited."

As part of its plans, Starlink has applied to establish two or three ground stations in Pakistan, aiming to offer direct satellite internet access to customers across the country, local media reported.

According to a written response from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to the Senate Standing Committee, the company is in the process of obtaining the necessary licenses to operate in Pakistan.

Starlink first submitted an application for a long-distance international (LDI) license on February 24, 2022. Additionally, on April 29, 2022, it applied for 14 Local Loop licenses, as it works towards providing satellite-based internet services.

The PTA has forwarded the matter to the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MOITT) for further stakeholder engagement, as part of the regulatory process.

Pakistan's regulatory framework for satellite-based telecommunications is governed by the National Satellite Policy 2023 and the Pakistan Space Activities Rules 2024. In December 2023, the National Satellite Policy was approved, which requires coordination between federal and provincial agencies, alongside SUPARCO (the National Space Agency), to oversee satellite-related initiatives.

Earlier this month, Musk confirmed that Starlink had applied for permission to launch internet services in Pakistan, and awaited the government's approval.

On Wednesday, the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology (IT) was informed that Starlink internet service could be launched in Pakistan after security clearance, which was a prerequisite for acquiring the licence in Pakistan.

Briefing the committee, which met here with its chairperson Palwasha Khan in the chair, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman Maj-Gen (retd) Hafeezur Rehman expressed the hope that the matter pertaining to Starlink would resolved within one month.

Rehman told the Senate committee that Starlink Internet Services (Private) Ltd had yet to obtain the security clearance as well as the Long Distance & International (LDI) and the Local Loop (LL) licences from the PTA, which, he said, were prerequisites for launching the services in Pakistan.

"Starlink services are not available in Pakistan, not even through illegal means," Rehman said. "Starlink could launch the services once it gets security clearance as well as the required LDI and LL," he added, expressing the hope that the matter would be resolved within one month.

During the discussion, the chair expressed concerns about Elon Musk's repeated claims regarding grooming gangs in the UK, allegedly operated by Pakistanis. She described the narrative as "targeted disinformation against Pakistan", further amplified in collaboration with Indian entities.

"It seems Elon Musk has partnered with India to propagate false allegations against Pakistan," Palwasha Khan told the committee. On that committee member Afnanullah Khan proposed that granting licence to Starlink should be conditional to Musk issuing a public apology for his anti-Pakistan remarks.

"The PTA must consider Musk's campaign against Pakistan before issuing a licence. He should apologise for his statements before any further steps are taken," Afnanullah Khan said. The IT special secretary said that there had been no direct engagement from Musk with the Pakistani authorities.