Starlink, Chinese companies to get permission in 6 months

ISLAMABAD: National Assembly’s Standing Committee on IT and Telecom Member Barrister Gohar Ali Khan on Tuesday inquired about the status of Starlink and was informed that the process of granting it permission was underway.

Parliamentary Secretary Sabeen Ghauri informed the committee it was hoped that Starlink and other Chinese companies would be granted permission within six months. The committee chairman, Aminul Haq, said the committee had issued instructions to accomplish proceedings for allowing Starlink to start its operations in Pakistan.

The committee, however, expressed its dismay over the delay in taking necessary steps for digitization in the country, including the launch of services of Starlink and Chinese companies, and the slow pace of projects related to the construction of IT parks. Amin also expressed concern over the non-spending of Rs6 billion allocated for the Karachi IT Park project in the current financial year, Personal Data Protection Bill and delay in the Artificial Intelligence policy.

While briefing the committee, it was informed that so far in the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) of the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication (MoIT&T) and its affiliated institutions, an amount of Rs24 billion had been allocated for this purpose in the current financial year. The committee members made reservations about the broadband services of the Special Communication Organization (SCO) in AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan. Amin directed the MoIT&T to complete all proceedings regarding the improvement of broadband services in AJK and GB and immediately complete the fiberization policy besides a proposal to grant government fund to the USF, finalization of matters related to Starlink, and establishment of a telecom tribunal. The committee agreed not to give any concession to LDI licence companies in the recovery of Rs78 billion dues and agreed to activate the telecom tribunal to resolve the matter.

PTA Chairman Major General (retd) Hafeezur Rehman informed the committee that in the last six years, Rs1,700 billion had been deposited in the national treasury by telecom companies in the form of tax, but not a single rupee had been spent by the government on improving the network situation in the country.

On the suggestion of the committee members, Amin directed the MoIT&T to submit proposals for the release of separate grants from the federal government to the Universal Service Fund, which gets one-and-a-half per cent share from the revenue of telecom companies, so that the prime minister can be approached in this regard.

He emphasized that telecom companies invested in urban areas to provide their services, but government grants for the USF were essential for broadband service delivery and laying optical fiber cables in remote areas. If the company has adequate funds, the process of broadband services and fiberization across the country will be completed quickly, which will provide better services to the common people and, on the other hand, the dream of digitization of the government will be fulfilled, and it will be easier to achieve IT export targets. “These steps are necessary to connect with the digital world and adjust ourselves to the pace of technology,” he added.