Pakistan halts broadband direct-from satellite
September 19, 2025
India has been reported to be slowing down its permissions for the likes of Starlink, OneWeb, Kuiper and SES/Jio to start services. Now it seems Pakistan – no friend of India – is also stuck in what has been described as “bureaucratic limbo”.
Evidently, various Pakistani federal institutions are creating obstacles, stalling the companies’ plans to invest and operate. While the Ministry of IT and Telecom is expected to facilitate the process, it appears powerless in resolving the institutional deadlock that is delaying approvals and policy clarity.
Local reports say that the formal registration process for all five companies (including SpaceCell (SSST)) is reportedly delayed due to the slow pace of the Pakistan Space Activities Regulatory Board (PSARB), which is the central authority tasked with overseeing space-related licensing. Additionally, the regulatory framework required to govern satellite internet services has yet to be finalised.
Pakistan’s Federal IT Minister Shaza Fatima had earlier claimed that services would begin by November or December, but the lack of a legal framework now threatens that schedule.
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