Senator Afnan demands Musk’s apology for maligning Pakistan

Senators have voiced serious concerns over the potential registration of Elon Musk-owned satellite internet company Starlink after the billionaire initiated a tirade against Pakistan on X, linking the grooming gangs in the UK to Pakistanis.

The reservations have been raised during a session of the Senate’s Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication. Senator Palwasha Khan chaired the session at Parliament House, to deliberate on key issues including Starlink operations, the Personal Data Protection Bill, and the telecom authority’s performance.

The chairman of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority briefed senators that the first National Space Policy had been okayed in 2023 while relevant rules were envisaged in 2024 followed by the constitution of the Pakistan Space Activities Regulatory Board (PSARB). The body is governed by the National Command Authority.

He said that any satellite service will require a mandatory registration with the concerned authorities to operate before getting a licence from the PTA.

The PTA chairman explained that in February 2022 Starlink had applied for a licence that was forwarded to the Ministry of Interior for security clearance.

He added that the licence would be issued to Starlink after its registration with the new regulatory board.