The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunications, chaired by Senator Palwasha Khan, held a tense session on Pakistan’s telecom future, raising objections over Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet entry into the country.
Starlink has applied for a Long Distance International (LDI) license. Senator Afnan Ullah accused Musk of running anti-Pakistan campaigns on social media, while Senator Anusha Rahman stressed that his background must be vetted before granting approval.
The committee also called officials from the Competition Commission of Pakistan and the Space Regulatory Authority for the next meeting to review Starlink’s licensing and other telecom matters.
Earlier, the committee had accused Musk of taking an anti-Pakistan stance and siding with India in regional narratives. Some senators suggested Musk should issue a public apology before being allowed to operate, though the IT Secretary clarified that Musk’s online comments were unrelated to licensing talks with Pakistan.
Another objection was raised that Starlink Raises National Security And Geopolitical Risk Concerns
