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.
Telecom authority chief meets Starlink team amid push to launch Pakistan operations
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Telecom authority chief meets Starlink team amid push to launch Pakistan operations
- 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
UK announces ‘major reset’ of Pakistan development partnership with new trade, climate, education initiatives
- UK commits to increased investment-led cooperation in climate, business regulation and higher education
- London shifts from aid donor to investment-focused partner as bilateral trade crosses $7.3 billion
ISLAMABAD: The United Kingdom on Wednesday unveiled what it called a “major reset” in its development partnership with Pakistan, announcing new investment-focused cooperation, education programs and a bilateral climate compact during a visit by UK Minister for Development Jennifer Chapman.
The trip marks the first federal-level development dialogue between the two governments in eight years and reflects London’s shift from a traditional aid-donor role toward investment-based partnerships. The British government said the new approach aims to use UK expertise to help partner economies build capacity and unlock domestic growth.
Pakistan-UK trade has also reached a record high, crossing £5.5 billion ($7.3 billion) for the first time, with more than 200 British firms now active in Pakistan, an increase London says signals growing two-way commercial confidence.
“Pakistan is a crucial partner for the UK. We work together to tackle the drivers behind organized crime and illegal migration, keeping both our countries safer,” Chapman was quoted as saying in a statement by the British High Commission in Islamabad.
“Our strong bilateral trading relationship brings jobs and growth to us both. And we’re working together to tackle climate change, a global threat.”
The minister and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday jointly launched a package of business regulatory reforms aimed at improving Pakistan’s investment climate and making it easier for UK firms to operate. Officials said the initiative supports Pakistan’s economic recovery agenda and creates new commercial avenues for British companies.
A second key announcement was the next phase of the Pak-UK Education Gateway, developed with the British Council and Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission. The expanded program will enable joint research between universities in both countries, support climate- and technology-focused academic collaboration, and introduce a startup fund to help commercialize research. The Gateway will also promote UK university courses delivered inside Pakistan, giving students access to British degrees without traveling abroad.
Accompanied by Pakistan’s Minister for Climate Change Dr. Musadik Malik, Chapman also launched a Green Compact, a framework for climate cooperation, green investment, environmental protection and joint work at global climate forums.
The UK emphasized it remains one of Pakistan’s largest development partners, citing ongoing work in education, health, climate resilience and anti-trafficking capacity building.
During the visit to Pakistan, Chapman will meet communities benefiting from UK-supported climate programs, which London says helped 2.5 million Pakistanis adapt to climate impacts in the past year, and observe training of airport officers working to prevent human trafficking.
“We remain firm friends of Pakistan, including in times of crisis, as shown through our floods response,” Chapman said. “And we know to accelerate growth in both our countries, we must work together in partnership to tackle the problems we face.”
