Addressing the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity Symposium, the minister said consultations with relevant institutions on the regulatory framework had been completed. The framework will be finalised soon, paving the way for companies seeking to invest in Pakistan’s satellite internet sector.
She said the government was committed to providing investors with a favourable and business-friendly environment to encourage investment in satellite-based connectivity.
Khawaja also highlighted Pakistan’s progress in narrowing the gender gap in mobile internet usage. According to her, the gap has declined from 38 per cent to 8 per cent. Citing the GSMA, she said Pakistan had made the world’s fastest progress in reducing this gap over the past two years.
The minister further said three new submarine internet cables had landed in Pakistan over the past two and a half years, strengthening the country’s international connectivity infrastructure.
She added that work was underway on alternative connectivity routes and new cable paths to improve the reliability of Pakistan’s international internet links.
Under the Universal Service Fund, more than 17,000 kilometres of optical fibre have been laid across the country, she said.
Khawaja also reported growth in fixed broadband infrastructure. The number of homes passed by fibre broadband has increased from fewer than three million in 2024 to more than five million.
Meanwhile, the proportion of mobile towers connected through fibre has risen from below 15 per cent to more than 19 per cent, marking further progress in Pakistan’s telecommunications infrastructure development.