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Technology

Pakistan nears regulatory framework for satellite internet rollout

Pakistan is nearing completion of a regulatory framework for satellite-based internet services as the government works to attract investment and expand connectivity across underserved areas.

News Desk
October 13, 2026
IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja discusses Pakistan's satellite internet framework and digital connectivity expansion.
Pakistan nears satellite internet regulatory framework·None

Pakistan is close to finalizing a regulatory framework for Fixed Satellite Services (FSS) to facilitate satellite internet services and attract investment, Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja said Tuesday.


Speaking at the APT Symposium on Digital Transformation and the Universal Service Fund (USF), the minister said the framework would be finalized soon after consultations with relevant institutions.


She said the government was working to create a business-friendly environment for investors in satellite internet services, which could help expand connectivity to underserved areas.


Highlighting progress in digital inclusion, Shaza Fatima said Pakistan had reduced the gender gap in mobile internet usage from 38% to 8%. Citing the GSMA, she said Pakistan had recorded the world's fastest progress in narrowing the gap over the past two years.


The country has also expanded its international connectivity infrastructure, with three submarine cables landing in Pakistan over the past two and a half years. Work is underway on alternative routes and additional cable connections to strengthen internet capacity and reliability.


Under the USF, more than 17,000 kilometres of optical fibre have been laid nationwide, while the number of homes passed by fibre broadband has increased from fewer than three million in 2024 to more than five million.


The minister said the proportion of mobile towers connected to fibre had risen from below 15% to more than 19%. The government aims to increase the figure to at least 60%, a move considered important for improving network capacity and supporting the expansion of 5G services.


Pakistan introduced 5G technology following a spectrum auction in March 2026, in which 480 megahertz of spectrum was auctioned. Shaza Fatima stressed that extending fibre connectivity to mobile towers was essential to delivering effective 5G services.


The government is also encouraging local entrepreneurs to provide internet services through Class Value Added Services (CVAS) licences. A new business model is being developed to enable people in rural areas to operate as internet service providers, potentially extending access to communities with limited connectivity.


Shaza Fatima said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held fortnightly meetings to review progress under the National Connectivity Plan.


She also highlighted the role of technology in public service delivery, saying more than 10 million people had received fuel subsidies through a digital mechanism. Smartphones were not made mandatory for beneficiaries to ensure the programme remained accessible to a wider population.


Emphasizing the need to expand connectivity, the minister said around 2.2 billion people worldwide still lacked internet access, while approximately 48% of the Asia-Pacific population remained offline.


She said digital connectivity was increasingly essential for education, healthcare, disaster management, economic development and national security.


The minister added that the USF had invested USD 1 billion over the years to extend internet services to underserved and unserved areas of Pakistan. The fund has completed 158 projects, providing internet access to approximately 38.4 million people nationwide.

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