Starlink’s Licensing in Pakistan Awaiting Security Clearance, PTA Chairman Confirms

Islamabad:Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman Major General (Retd) Hafeez Rehman has confirmed that Starlink Internet Services (Private) Limited has not yet received security clearance, a necessary requirement to obtain a license and begin operations in Pakistan.

While briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication, the PTA Chairman stated that the issue could be resolved within a month, allowing Starlink to commence services, provided they secure the requisite security clearance along with the necessary LDI (Long Distance International) and LL (Local Loop) licenses from the PTA. Rehman clarified that Starlink services are not yet available in Pakistan, even through illegal means. He emphasized that these are broadband services, which require special equipment or antennas, and cannot be compared to mobile internet.

Senator Palwasha Khan, who chaired the meeting, also raised concerns regarding Elon Musk’s narrative about alleged grooming gangs allegedly operated by Pakistanis in the UK. She criticized this as targeted propaganda against Pakistan, further amplified by collaboration with Indian elements. Khan suggested that it appeared Elon Musk had partnered with India to spread false accusations against Pakistan.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Afnan Ullah Khan proposed that the granting of the Starlink license be conditional upon Elon Musk’s public apology for his anti-Pakistan statements. He urged the PTA to consider Musk’s comments before issuing the license and suggested that Musk should apologize for his remarks before further actions are taken.

The Special Secretary of the Ministry of IT acknowledged the sensitivity of providing satellite internet services in Pakistan and clarified that Musk’s recent tweets suggesting that approval was awaited were misleading, as no direct communication had taken place with Pakistani authorities.

The PTA Chairman further mentioned that, currently, no satellite service provider is offering direct services to consumers, except for PTCL’s GMPCS services. However, satellite operators are offering bandwidth to LDI/LL service providers for point-to-point traffic transportation.

Regarding Starlink, the PTA Chairman noted that the company has been registered in Pakistan as “Starlink Internet Services Pakistan (Private) Limited,” a subsidiary of Netherlands-based Starlink (SpaceX). The company has requested permission from the PTA to operate in Pakistan, aiming to provide direct internet services to users via NGSO satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) and to establish 2 to 3 ground stations in Pakistan.