Elon Musk Awaits Approval to Launch Starlink Internet in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD — SpaceX owner Elon Musk has confirmed that his company is awaiting approval from the Pakistani government to launch its satellite-based Starlink internet service in the country. Musk’s announcement came in a tweet on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, sparking hopes for improved internet access in Pakistan, which has been struggling with a series of outages over the past year.

“We are awaiting approval from the government,” Musk tweeted, signaling that the service may soon be available to millions of Pakistanis.

This development follows a recent appeal from Richard Grenell, US President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for Presidential Envoy for Special Missions. Grenell had called on Musk to extend Starlink’s services to Pakistan, citing the need for reliable internet access in the region. In response to this, Pakistan’s Minister of State for IT, Shaza Fatima, confirmed that Starlink Internet Services Pakistan (Pvt) Ltd had applied for a license to operate in the country.

However, Fatima clarified that the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is currently only processing applications from companies registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP). This regulatory hurdle has been one of the main obstacles for Starlink’s entry into the market, in addition to some unpublicized issues between local authorities and Musk’s company.

Pakistan has faced a series of internet connectivity issues, including frequent outages that have affected access to social media platforms and other essential online services. These outages, often attributed to submarine cable failures or national security concerns, have left many Pakistanis without stable internet access. Social media platform X, in particular, has been inaccessible in the country since February 2024, following a government ban.

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If approved, Starlink could provide much-needed high-speed internet to regions where traditional broadband infrastructure is lacking or unreliable, offering a potential lifeline for both urban and rural communities across Pakistan. As the country continues to grapple with internet challenges, the introduction of satellite-based services like Starlink could mark a significant step toward bridging the digital divide.