ISTANBUL:
Tech billionaire Elon Musk confirmed on his X account that Starlink applied to launch internet services in Pakistan in response to a request from a Pakistani netizen, but was “waiting for government approval.”
Pakistani netizen Sanam Jamali had said that Starlink’s internet services could “leap” Pakistan “into the future, where every citizen has the opportunity to connect and grow.” Jamali had urged the billionaire to “let Starlink be our bridge to tomorrow.”
Musk indicated on Saturday that Starlink had already requested it from Pakistani authorities. “We are waiting for government approval,” he said in his post. His brief response highlighted the regulatory formalities that need to be addressed before Starlink can operate in Pakistan.
Later, in a second post tagging Musk, Jamali claimed that Pakistan had “approved Starlink.” Adding, “Now is the perfect time to bring your transformative Internet service to our nation. Millions of people are looking forward to the connectivity, education and opportunities that Starlink could offer.”
Starlink is a satellite network that provides high-speed Internet to remote areas and underserved locations. Starlink satellites orbit the Earth at low altitude and transmit Internet signals to ground stations connected to fiber optic networks.
Musk’s confirmation of his intention to launch Starlink in Pakistan comes at a time when the country tops the list of nations that suffered the most due to internet outages in 2024. “Please expedite the launch of Starlink,” Jamali said.
