Pakistan Envisions Digital Transformation with Starlink

LOS ANGELES: Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, has emphasized the revolutionary possibilities of Starlink satellite services in overcoming Pakistan’s digital gap, especially in neglected and distant parts of the nation.

According to a press statement released on Wednesday, the ambassador made these comments during a visit to the headquarters of SpaceX, a prominent American aerospace and technology firm, in Los Angeles.

He was accompanied by Pakistan’s Consul General in Los Angeles, Asim Ali Khan, along with other consulate officials.

Senior SpaceX officials, including the Vice President of Starlink Global Business Operations and the Director of Global Business Development, greeted the delegation.

During the visit, Ambassador Sheikh received a briefing on the current conversations around prospective cooperation between Pakistan and SpaceX, with a primary focus on the Starlink satellite internet project and wider satellite technologies.

The discussions centered on how Starlink’s low-Earth orbit satellite infrastructure and SpaceX’s business capabilities might assist Pakistan’s initiatives to broaden broadband access and strengthen national connectivity.

The ambassador and his team also toured the SpaceX facility, acquiring insights into the company’s state-of-the-art innovations in space and telecommunications technology.

Ambassador Sheikh restated Pakistan’s dedication to development driven by innovation and highlighted the significance of strategic international alliances in improving digital infrastructure.

He voiced confidence that continuing engagement with SpaceX could create opportunities for practical collaboration in space technology and business innovation.

According to the press release, the visit is part of Ambassador Sheikh’s larger outreach in California, which aims to strengthen technological and economic ties between Pakistan and the United States’ private sectors.

Earlier in March, IT Minister Shaza Fatima stated that Starlink had been granted a preliminary license to offer satellite-based internet services in the country, with services expected to be accessible by the end of the year.