Pakistan Warns of Growing LEO Satellite Risks, Calls for Rule of Law in Outer Space

Pakistan has urged the international community to move faster on setting enforceable rules for low Earth orbit, arguing that the growing rush into space is outpacing global oversight and creating new security and equity risks.

Addressing a 15-member United Nations Security Council meeting, Pakistan warned that the surge in unregulated LEO satellites is widening digital inequality. Officials said it is also enabling disinformation campaigns, driving militarization, and raising concerns over national sovereignty. At the same time, the increasing volume of launches is adding to the problem of space debris.

Gul Qaiser Sarwani, consular and political coordinator at Pakistan’s Mission to the UN, said commercial activity in LEO has expanded with little balance. As a result, orbital slots, spectrum access, space situational awareness tools, and economic benefits are becoming concentrated among a small group of countries and companies.

He warned that without corrective action, developing and emerging spacefaring nations could be sidelined over time. Reaffirming Pakistan’s position, Sarwani said outer space, including low Earth orbit, belongs to all humanity. Any attempt by a state or private entity to dominate it, he added, should not be accepted.

Sarwani stressed that technological or commercial leadership must not translate into regulatory privilege. Meanwhile, the rapid growth of mega-constellations is increasing congestion in orbit. This has intensified competition for spectrum and raised the risks linked to space debris, threatening the long-term sustainability of LEO and fair access for future participants.

The Pakistani delegate also voiced concern over the expanding use of commercial LEO systems for military and intelligence purposes. He said this trend is erasing the line between civilian and military operations. It also increases the chances of miscalculation, tension, and unintended conflict.

Under international law, Sarwani noted, states remain responsible for all national activities carried out in outer space. This obligation applies even when private companies are involved. He added that challenges in LEO cannot be separated from the wider space security picture.

That broader picture includes an emerging arms race in outer space, the development of anti-satellite capabilities, and the deeper integration of space assets into nuclear, cyber, and conventional military planning. Together, these developments are weakening global strategic stability.

Sarwani also warned that LEO systems are being used to spread disinformation, fuel social unrest, and interfere in internal affairs. Such practices, he said, violate the principles of sovereignty and non-intervention. Existing international frameworks, however, are not equipped to address these risks.

Pakistan supports voluntary norms and transparency measures, he said. However, he emphasized that voluntary steps cannot replace binding international agreements. He concluded that the rapid expansion of LEO must not deepen the technological and regulatory divide between developed and developing countries.