The Pakistan Space Activities Regulatory Board (PSARB) has completed and circulated the draft of the country’s first Space Regulatory Framework to relevant institutions, including PTA and PEMRA. This step marks a milestone in formalizing oversight for Pakistan’s emerging space sector. Officials confirmed that key stakeholders are currently reviewing the draft and have been asked to provide their feedback prior to finalization.
The proposed framework provides a structured and modern approach to managing space-related activities and aligns with international standards. It covers essential space domains such as Satellite Communications, Earth Observation, Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT), and Space Transportation. With the draft now in circulation, PSARB aims to refine the document based on stakeholder input before sending it to the federal government for formal approval.
Among its many provisions, the framework proposes a clear licensing mechanism for space-based services, risk management protocols, satellite frequency coordination, and orbital slot management. It also includes guidelines for the registration of space objects and enforcement of obligations under international treaties. Specific attention has been given to cybersecurity, data privacy, and transparency in commercial space operations, ensuring that the framework is both robust and forward-looking.
To support the development of the regulatory roadmap, PSARB partnered with Access Partnership through a formal agreement signed on March 3, 2025. The consultancy is assisting in the creation of a framework designed to foster a competitive and consumer-centric space ecosystem in Pakistan. This builds on recent space policy developments, including the approval of the National Space Policy in December 2023 and the introduction of the Space Activities Rules in February 2024.
PSARB operates under the authority of the National Command Authority (NCA) and is responsible for overseeing all space-related affairs in Pakistan. According to existing rules, satellite service providers—both local and international—must first register with PSARB before they can seek a service license from PTA.
Interest in Pakistan’s satellite internet sector has grown steadily. Starlink, which first applied for market access in 2022, received a temporary No Objection Certificate (NOC) from PSARB in March 2025. However, it will now need to reapply under the updated regulatory framework. Other interested companies include UK-based OneWeb, Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology (SSST) from China, and Amazon’s Project Kuiper.
Domestically, Pakistan’s own PakSat High-Throughput Satellite (HTS), developed by SUPARCO, remains a key part of the country’s satellite infrastructure. The HTS system is being positioned as a viable local alternative to international Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite providers, as Pakistan seeks to balance foreign investments with indigenous capability development in the space domain.
