Elon Musk’s Starlink set to launch service in Pakistan by June

National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology has urged for the swift finalisation of its agreement with Starlink, with parliamentary secretary confirming that the service will be available in the country by June 2024.

The committee, chaired by Aminul Haq, discussed various key issues, including the Information Technology (IT) Ministry’s PSDF for FY 2024-25 and other significant projects.

Haq instructed officials to expedite the licensing process for Starlink, the satellite internet service provider owned by Elon Musk, which has been in discussions with Pakistan for nearly two years.

Starlink’s licensing process had previously stalled due to the absence of a regulatory authority, as pointed out by Barrister Gohar, a member of the committee. The Pakistani authorities aim to complete the necessary paperwork soon, with the potential for Starlink to become operational by mid-2024.

Concerns were raised over security, with committee member Ahmed Atiq questioning the safety of data privacy.

“Today, data security is a significant issue, and I have doubts about Starlink’s ability to safeguard our citizens’ data,” he said. However, the committee did not raise significant objections to the satellite service provider.

The committee also discussed the state of internet connectivity in the country, with Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman, Maj Gen (R) Amir Azeem Bajwa, revealing that PTA had contributed Rs1.7 trillion to government revenue in the past six years.

However, Bajwa lamented that the government had not made any investments in the telecom sector during this time. “High-speed internet connectivity comes from laying fibre cables. India’s Modi government invested $13 billion in their telecom sector, while we have made no such investment,” he said.

He urged the government to focus on accelerating fibre optic infrastructure development, following India’s example.

In response to questions regarding connectivity issues in rural areas, the PTA chairman explained that telecom companies were hesitant to establish towers in areas without business potential. “We are working to compel companies to install towers in these regions,” Bajwa noted.

The committee members expressed frustration over the country’s inadequate internet services, with some areas lacking access even 40 kilometres outside Lahore. “Our children have to travel from remote areas to cities for basic internet access,” said member Ahmed Atiq.

In response, the PTA chairman promised that 2,000 telecom towers would be installed in 2024, with new towers planned for remote regions such as Buner. “90% of the talks with Starlink and the Space Regulatory Body are complete, and the licensing process is now at its final stage,” he added.

The committee recommended that the government expedite negotiations with Starlink to ensure timely service rollout in Pakistan.