The issue of delayed satellite internet licenses in Pakistan has officially reached the Parliament. Recently, on February 21, 2026, Senator Sarmad Ali (SI) submitted a Call Attention Notice to the Senate. He filed this notice under Rule 64 of the Senate Rules of Procedure and Business 2012. Consequently, the Federal Minister for IT and relevant authorities must explain these prolonged delays. Furthermore, they are required to provide a definitive timeline indicating exactly when these licenses will be issued.
Currently, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has almost completed all the requirements necessary to launch satellite internet services. However, a major bureaucratic bottleneck remains. The Pakistan Space Activities Regulatory Board (PSARB) has stalled the final steps of the process. Specifically, the registration of at least five satellite internet companies remains completely pending at the PSARB. As a result, this bottleneck is causing unnecessary delays in securing final regulatory clearance.
Undeniably, these prolonged delays are actively harming tech investment opportunities across the country. They are stalling modern internet projects. Additionally, they are negatively impacting international companies that have shown a strong interest in entering the Pakistani market.
Meanwhile, industry sources confirm that international satellite internet companies are fully ready to offer their services in Pakistan. In fact, satellite operators have already provided concrete assurances regarding national security and legal compliance prior to any service rollout. Furthermore, these companies are entirely prepared to comply with the country’s legal framework. Therefore, industry sources have firmly labeled the ongoing security concerns regarding satellite internet services as misleading.
Ultimately, experts stress that deploying this technology is not optional. Instead, satellite internet remains an inevitable and critical necessity for the remote areas of the country.
