Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman Hafeezur Rehman on Monday confirmed the granting of a provisional license to Starlink, paving the way for its official operations in the country.
Appearing before the National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology, Rehman said the licensing process involves several regulatory stages. He noted Starlink was already registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) and the Space Regulatory Authority, adding a final registration would be granted once all necessary steps are completed.
I.T. Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja, who had earlier announced the provisional licensing of Starlink, said the satellite internet company had initially committed to fulfilling all necessary requirements by June, but had recently said it would fulfill the same by May. According to Khawaja, the pricing model for Starlink’s services in Pakistan has yet to be discussed. She said that once all approvals were completed, Starlink’s services should be available for the public by November or December.
The minister further noted that some Chinese companies had also applied for licenses to provide satellite internet to Pakistan.
During the meeting, the officials emphasized to lawmakers that the upcoming 5G spectrum auction must not be solely driven by revenue considerations. Khawaja noted that Pakistan currently operates on 274MHz, but unresolved legal cases have complicated the auction process. The PTA chairman explained that of the 196MHz earmarked for auction, 146MHz remains locked in pending litigation. Other spectrum-related cases involving telecom firms continue to create obstacles, he added.
Several companies, including Shalimar and Zong Telecom, have obtained stay orders against the auction proceedings from the Supreme Court. Shalimar has reportedly retained 140MHz under legal protection since 2007. Khawaja noted that Zong is utilizing spectrum resources without payment, while the court has delayed its decision on the matter for the past two years.
To resolve the legal deadlock, the parliamentary committee announced the formation of a subcommittee to address outstanding spectrum cases. The subcommittee, chaired by PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan, will include as members Barrister Umair Niazi, Ammar Leghari, and Sharmila Faruqi.
The officials reiterated the need for telecommunication companies to be granted financial relief to ensure their stability once 5G services launch. The PTA chairman warned that if the licenses of all defaulting Long Distance and International operators are cancelled, it could disrupt 50 percent of mobile services and block 40 percent of ATMs across the country.
Khawaja stressed that the government must prevent companies from facing financial ruin before the new technology is fully deployed.