ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is in the final stages of preparing a Fixed Satellite Service framework aimed at regulating and expanding satellite internet services, Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja said on Tuesday.
Speaking at the APT Symposium on Digital Transformation and the Universal Service Fund, the minister said the framework would be finalised after consultations with relevant institutions.
She said the government intends to provide a favourable and business-friendly environment for companies investing in the satellite internet sector, as Pakistan looks to expand connectivity in remote and underserved areas.
Shaza Fatima said the country had made notable progress in digital infrastructure, mobile internet access and broadband expansion.
According to the minister, the gender gap in mobile internet usage has fallen from 38% to 8%. Citing GSMA data, she said Pakistan had recorded the fastest progress globally in narrowing the gap over the past two years.
She also said three new submarine internet cables had landed in Pakistan over the last two and a half years, while work was continuing on alternative routes and additional cable connections to strengthen international internet connectivity.
More than 17,000 kilometres of optical fibre have been laid across the country through the Universal Service Fund, she added.
The number of fibre broadband home passes has risen from fewer than three million in 2024 to more than five million, while the share of mobile towers connected to fibre has increased from below 15% to more than 19%.
The government now aims to raise tower fiberisation to at least 60%, a move the minister described as critical for improving the performance of 5G services.
Shaza Fatima said Pakistan introduced 5G technology following the auction of 480 megahertz of spectrum in March 2026.
She said connecting mobile towers with optical fibre was essential for delivering faster, more reliable and higher-capacity 5G connectivity.
The government is also developing new models to expand internet services at the district level through Class Value Added Services licences, creating opportunities for local entrepreneurs to operate internet services, particularly in rural areas.
According to the minister, work is underway on a business model that could allow people in underserved communities to become local internet service providers.
She said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chairs fortnightly meetings to review progress on the National Connectivity Plan.
The minister also highlighted the growing use of digital systems in public service delivery, saying more than 10 million people had received fuel subsidies through a technology-based mechanism.
She said smartphones were not made mandatory for receiving the subsidy in order to ensure broader access for citizens.
Citing global connectivity figures, Shaza Fatima said around 2.2 billion people worldwide remain offline, while approximately 48% of the Asia-Pacific population is still without internet access.
She said digital connectivity had become essential not only for communication but also for education, healthcare, disaster management, economic development and national security.
The minister said the Universal Service Fund had invested around $1 billion over the years to expand internet access in underserved and unserved parts of Pakistan.
She added that the USF had completed 158 projects, providing internet access to around 38.4 million people across the country.