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ISLAMABAD: The interior ministry has not yet issued clearance for launching Starlink in Pakistan, said Hafeez-ur-Rehman, chairman of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), while briefing a Senate standing committee.
The meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology was held under the chairmanship of Senator Palwasha Khan in which a briefing was given on the launch of Starlink in Pakistan.
The Chairman PTA said the National Space Policy was formulated in Pakistan in 2023, and its rules were made in 2024, followed by the establishment of the Pakistan Space Regulatory Board. This body will be under the National Command Authority.
He said that if any satellite wants to provide service in Pakistan, it will first be registered with the EECP. Then it will be registered with the regulatory board, after which the PTA can issue a license. He said that the Starlink will be helpful for businesses in remote areas. Starlink will be registered with the new regulatory board after which the PTA will issue a license.
A Chinese company Triple SD is also coming to Pakistan, he added.
Committee member Dr. Afnanullah Khan said that Elon Musk, the owner of Starlink, ran a campaign against Pakistan on social media in which Pakistanis were accused of being involved in criminal activities in the UK.
Palwasha Khan said that Elon Musk is anti-Pakistan. Launching a satellite that is owned by a person like Musk will not only be a security problem, there will be problems of non-linear nature or implementation
Chairman PTA said that the regulatory body will decide to give the license after looking at all these things, it will not run directly from satellite to satellite, Starlink will come to the ground, it will run through the gateway.
The committee summoned SPARCO and the regulatory authority in the next meeting.
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