Pakistan is nearing the launch of satellite internet services, with the regulatory framework in its final stages and consultations with relevant institutions completed, Federal IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja said on Tuesday.

Speaking at the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity Symposium, she said the government would soon finalize the rules and provide a business-friendly environment for companies looking to invest in satellite internet.

Khawaja also highlighted improvements in the country’s internet infrastructure, saying three new submarine cables had landed in Pakistan over the past two and a half years.

More than 17,000 kilometres of optical fibre have been laid through the Universal Service Fund, while the number of homes covered by fibre broadband has increased from fewer than 3 million in 2024 to more than 5 million.

She said Pakistan had reduced the gender gap in mobile internet use from 38 percent to 8 percent, citing data from the GSMA.

Pakistan introduced 5G technology through a spectrum auction in March 2026, offering 480 megahertz of spectrum. Khawaja said connecting mobile towers to optical fibre was necessary to ensure effective 5G services. The government aims to increase tower fibre connectivity from more than 19 percent to at least 60 percent.

The government is also working on new business models to help local entrepreneurs provide internet services in rural areas.

Khawaja added that more than 10 million people had received fuel subsidies through a digital system that did not require a smartphone.

She said around 2.2 billion people worldwide still lacked internet access, including approximately 48 percent of the Asia-Pacific population.