Six companies have completed registration in Pakistan to offer satellite-based internet and carry out space-related work. The list includes Starlink Internet Services Pakistan, but registration alone does not clear the way for satellite internet in Pakistan — commercial services still need security and regulatory approvals.
The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) shared the details with the Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat, telling it that all six firms have finished the corporate registration process.
The six are Starlink Internet Services Pakistan, Spacesail Pakistan, Aether One, Flynautix, Galaxyspace Pakistan and Space P. Four of them — Aether One, Flynautix, Galaxyspace Pakistan and Space P — were set up after the Pakistan Space Activities Regulatory Board (PSARB) came into being, while Starlink and Spacesail registered earlier.
Security clearance still pending for satellite internet in Pakistan
Before they can operate, firms must also meet PSARB requirements and obtain the necessary security clearances. Security clearance for the foreign directors and shareholders of Starlink Internet Services Pakistan, Galaxyspace Pakistan and Spacesail Pakistan was still pending with the Ministry of Interior, the SECP report said.
Working with PSARB, the SECP has set up a separate registration category for aerospace and space-related businesses, so firms in the sector can be identified and classified.
What still stands between registration and launch
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) will issue the relevant licences only after companies complete the mandatory security and regulatory steps, so until then Starlink and other satellite providers cannot launch commercial services in Pakistan.
One firm sits outside the usual process: Space P, a subsidiary of the National Command Authority, is exempt from the PSARB no-objection certificate requirement, though the SECP report also says Space P submitted the certificate — a point the report itself notes needs clarification.
The gap between registration and launch matters for readers waiting for satellite broadband. Starlink’s arrival in Pakistan has been discussed for years, and questions about its local operations have already surfaced in public debate. Starlink Pakistan launch faces new surveillance questions Registration shows the paperwork is moving, but the Interior Ministry clearance and the PTA licence remain the real gates.
The Senate committee asked for the details through its chairman, Senator Rana Mahmood-ul-Hassan, and the SECP has named Mubasher Saeed Saddozai, a divisional head in its corporate registry department, as its focal person for the committee. ProPakistani reported the registrations on Monday.
Satellite broadband matters most where fibre and mobile signals do not reach: mountain valleys in Gilgit-Baltistan, desert districts in Balochistan and Tharparkar, and villages far from the nearest exchange. For those areas, a satellite link can be the first reliable connection, and it can keep working when floods or quakes cut ground cables. That is why the wait for a commercial launch has drawn so much attention, and why the clearances now pending with the Interior Ministry and the PTA will decide when the service actually reaches users.
The telecom regulator is also active on other fronts. The PTA has been running network quality surveys in Lahore and Karachi. PTA network quality surveys reach Lahore, Karachi It has also proposed new licensing rules for internet-of-things networks, with a one-year trial category for firms testing connected devices. PTA IoT licensing fee proposed at Rs100,000 Citizens, meanwhile, continue to face online fraud risks, and the cybercrime agency has warned people to keep personal details private. NCCIA warning: keep four personal details private
Frequently asked questions
Which companies have registered for satellite internet in Pakistan?
Six companies have registered with the SECP: Starlink Internet Services Pakistan, Spacesail Pakistan, Aether One, Flynautix, Galaxyspace Pakistan and Space P.
Does registration mean Starlink can launch in Pakistan?
No. Registration only completes the corporate process. Firms must still meet PSARB requirements, obtain security clearances and secure PTA licences before they can offer commercial services.
What is PSARB?
The Pakistan Space Activities Regulatory Board is the body that regulates space-related activities in Pakistan. Companies must meet its requirements before they can operate.
Why is security clearance pending?
Security clearance for the foreign directors and shareholders of Starlink Internet Services Pakistan, Galaxyspace Pakistan and Spacesail Pakistan is still pending with the Ministry of Interior.
What is Space P?
Space P is a subsidiary of the National Command Authority. It is exempt from the PSARB no-objection certificate requirement, though the SECP report notes that it also submitted the certificate, a point that needs clarification.
