Pakistan Welcomes Starlink. But Can It Deliver on Its Promise? – The Diplomat

https://thediplomat.com/2025/03/pakistan-welcomes-starlink-but-can-...

Starlink could help close the urban-rural internet access gap — if the rollout is inclusive, affordable, and thoughtfully managed.
In Pakistan, the digital divide is not merely a technological issue; it is an economic and social barrier. While the country has over 142 million broadband subscriptions, nearly 99 percent are mobile-based, and fixed broadband penetration remains under 1 percent. Still, the economic potential is hard to ignore. Pakistan’s digital economy is steadily expanding – IT exports hit $3.2 billion in fiscal year 2024 – and more than 1.5 million freelancers are already contributing to global platforms from across the country. But most of that growth is happening in big cities.

In rural Pakistan, untapped talent remains offline, not by choice, but because the infrastructure simply isn’t there. Starlink could help close that gap – if the rollout is inclusive and thoughtfully managed. Starlink could empower a new generation of freelancers, online entrepreneurs, and remote workers in smaller towns and villages, provided access is widespread and affordable. The small and medium enterprise (SME) sector, which contributes nearly 40 percent of GDP and employs over 80 percent of Pakistan’s non-agricultural workforce, could benefit from stable, high-speed internet to adopt digital tools, cloud platforms, and e-commerce models.

Education stands to gain even more. Pakistan has over 22 millionout-of-school children, with the highest concentrations in regions that also suffer from poor internet access. Less than 15 percent of public schools nationwide are connected to the internet – and in rural areas, that number drops below 10 percent. In Balochistan, for instance, 65 percent of school-age children are out of school. During the COVID-19 pandemic, only a small percentage of rural households could access any form of digital learning. Starlink can change this equation by enabling digital classrooms, national curriculum portals, and virtual teacher training in regions where qualified educators are scarce or security risks prevent regular school attendance. Especially for girls in conservative areas, home-based online education could offer a culturally acceptable and practical solution to improve literacy and life outcomes.

The healthcare sector, too, is poised for transformation. Telemedicine has long been touted as a solution for Pakistan’s rural health deserts, but without broadband, its reach has remained limited. With Starlink, remote clinics in places like Chitral, Dera Bugti, or Tharparkar could finally access diagnostic platforms, connect with specialists in urban hospitals, and digitize patient records. This could reduce maternal mortality, improve early disease detection, and allow real-time responses to outbreaks – all without the need for new brick-and-mortar hospitals.

Yet the promise of Starlink is constrained by its cost. At present, Starlink’s projected pricing in Pakistan is approximately 35,000 Pakistani rupees per month (around $120), plus 110,000 rupees (around $375) in equipment costs. For perspective, the average rural household in Pakistan earns between 20,000–30,000 rupees per month. A typical 10 Mbps unlimited home broadband package costs around 1,500–2,000 rupees ($5-7) – affordable to urban middle-class households but often out of reach for rural families.

Pakistan eyes expansion of digital wallet coverage


https://coingeek.com/pakistan-eyes-expansion-of-digital-wallet-cove...

A digital wallet project that the Pakistani government initiated two months ago has been a massive success, closing the gender gap and reaching citizens with disability, the country’s prime minister says.

PM Shehbaz Sharif commissioned the distribution of the Ramazan Relief Package in early April, partly via digital wallets for the first time. The Rs 20 billion ($71 million) initiative was overseen by the IT & Telecommunications Ministry and sought to make welfare and aid distribution “efficient, transparent, and respectful.” It aligned with the Digital Nation Pakistan Bill, which was passed by parliament in January and seeks to transition Pakistan into a digitally empowered nation.

Speaking at a recent event, Sharif lauded the success of digital wallets in boosting efficiency and transparency in fund transfers.

“Through digital wallets, 79% of the funds in the relief program were transferred seamlessly and transparently,” the PM stated.

Starting 2026, all welfare distribution will be done via digital means, he added.

According to local outlets, over 900,000 Pakistanis received aid through their newly created digital wallets and conducted nearly 2 million transactions. Significantly, a sizable portion of the users were women, which the PM says plays a role in reducing the gender gap in the program. Over 2,500 disabled people also used the digital wallets, further underscoring the initiative’s importance in promoting diversity and inclusion.

“This is more than a one-time relief package. It’s about fostering long-term digital habits that empower individuals and integrate them into the formal economy,” commented IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja.
Pakistan is undergoing a digital payment transformation. In the last three months of 2024, retail digital payments grew 12%, according to data from the central bank. Pakistanis made over three billion transactions worth Rs154 trillion ($554 billion).

This growth is attracting global giants. In March, Google Wallet (NASDAQ: GOOGL) announced its entry into the Pakistani market, partnering with half a dozen local banks to allow cardholders to make payments via the app.

“The launch of Google Wallet is a solid testament to Pakistan’s rising digital payments adoption and will serve as a signal to other global payment solutions about the market’s potential,” commented Mutaher Khan, whose Data Darbar provides market intelligence in the country.

However, the market still faces significant challenges. One of these is the country’s massive undocumented economy, which the government reckons is as big as the formal economy. Operators in this cash-based market operate beyond the scope of the government and pay no taxes; this makes digital payments a direct threat as they would expose the market.

Pakistan hits 200 million telecom subscribers, with 150 million broadband users - Profit by Pakistan Today

https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2025/06/20/pakistan-hits-200-mi...

To mark the milestone, mobile operators offer 2GB free data and 200 on-net minutes to all users, valid for 24 hours on June 20, 2025

Pakistan has reached a historic milestone in its digital growth, with the number of telecom subscribers surpassing 200 million, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) announced. This includes 150 million broadband subscribers and more than 2 million Fiber To The Home (FTTH) users.

The PTA described the achievement as a testament to the country’s accelerated digital progress and their ongoing commitment to inclusive connectivity. As part of the celebration, the PTA, in collaboration with mobile network operators such as Jazz, Telenor, Ufone, Zong, and SCO, is offering all mobile users a special promotion: 2GB of free data and 200 on-net minutes, valid for 24 hours on Friday, June 20, 2025. To avail of this offer, subscribers can dial *2200#.

The PTA also emphasized its efforts to promote digital inclusion, particularly for female students. Alongside telecom companies like PTCL, Transworld, Nayatel, Cybernet, and Wateen, PTA is deploying free Wi-Fi hotspots at selected universities recognized by the Higher Education Commission (HEC), with a special focus on women-only institutions. This initiative aims to improve access to online learning resources for students across the country.

Additionally, mobile phone manufacturers have donated 200 locally assembled smartphones, which will be distributed to female SIM card holders across Pakistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan via computerized balloting.

The number of telecom subscribers has now reached 200 million, with teledensity slightly decreasing from 81.4% in June 2023 to 81.21% in June 2025. However, broadband penetration has seen considerable growth, rising from 53.6% in June 2023 to 60.8% by June 2025.


During the event, IT and Telecom Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja confirmed that Pakistan is moving forward with plans to launch 5G internet services, with work already underway.