Pakistan is nearing completion of its regulatory framework for satellite internet services, with the government working to finalise licensing arrangements intended to facilitate the entry of international operators and expand broadband connectivity across the country. Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja announced the progress on Tuesday while addressing the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity Symposium on Digital Transformation and the Universal Service Fund (USF). She said consultations with relevant institutions were continuing and that the Fixed Satellite Services (FSS) framework would be finalised soon. The proposed framework is expected to establish the regulatory arrangements under which companies can provide satellite-based connectivity in Pakistan, while creating conditions that make participation in the market more straightforward for potential investors. The development is significant for areas where conventional fixed-line broadband and mobile networks have limited coverage, particularly remote and underserved communities.
The regulatory framework is part of the government’s wider effort to improve internet access through multiple forms of connectivity infrastructure. Satellite internet can provide an alternative for locations where extending fibre-optic networks or conventional mobile infrastructure is difficult or costly. However, completion of the framework does not itself confirm the commercial launch of any particular provider. Companies interested in entering Pakistan’s market will still need to meet the applicable registration, licensing and regulatory requirements. International satellite operators, including SpaceX’s Starlink and other companies, have previously expressed interest in the Pakistani market. The government has been working through the relevant regulatory institutions to establish rules for satellite communications and fixed satellite services. The framework is intended to provide a defined process for participation, although the minister did not announce a confirmed launch date for individual operators during her remarks.
Khawaja also highlighted developments in Pakistan’s terrestrial and international connectivity infrastructure. She said three new submarine internet cables had landed in the country over the previous two and a half years, while work on alternative routes and additional cable connections was continuing to improve international network resilience. The Universal Service Fund has deployed more than 17,000 kilometres of optical fibre nationwide, according to the minister. She added that the number of premises passed by fibre networks had increased from fewer than three million in 2024 to more than five million. The proportion of telecommunications towers connected to fibre had also risen from below 15 percent to more than 19 percent. The government aims to increase tower fibre connectivity to at least 60 percent within three years, a target linked to the need for greater network capacity as Pakistan expands its 5G services. Satellite connectivity, fibre expansion and additional international cable routes are being pursued as complementary parts of the country’s broader digital infrastructure strategy.
The minister further connected connectivity expansion with digital inclusion and access to public services. She said the gender gap in mobile internet usage had declined from 38 percent to 8 percent over the past two years, citing figures from the GSMA. She also highlighted the role of technology-enabled government programmes, noting that more than 10 million people had benefited from a fuel subsidy programme that did not require a smartphone. The USF has invested approximately $1 billion over the years and completed 158 projects that extended telecommunications coverage to around 38.4 million people, according to her remarks. Khawaja said future connectivity efforts needed to focus not only on network coverage but also on affordability, reliability and practical benefits for users. Finalisation of the satellite internet framework could widen the options available for extending broadband access, particularly in areas that remain difficult to serve through existing infrastructure. Its impact will depend on the final regulatory arrangements, operator participation, service affordability and the ability to deliver dependable connectivity to underserved communities.
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