Pakistani Senators demand linking Starlink license to Musk’s apology

Pakistani legislators have urged Elon Musk, the head of the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and owner of Starlink, to apologize for his purported anti-Pakistan comments made on social media.

The demand was made during a session of the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology, led by Senator Palwasha Khan, in Islamabad on Wednesday.

The discussion centered on the licensing procedures for satellite internet services in Pakistan, with a particular focus on the operations of Starlink.

Senator Palwasha Khan expressed significant concern regarding Musk’s recent social media activities, accusing him of endorsing India's narrative against Pakistan.

“It seems that Elon Musk has allied with India to disseminate false accusations against Pakistan,” she stated.

Senator Afnan Ullah Khan suggested that the approval of a license for Starlink should be dependent on Musk issuing a public apology.

“The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) must consider Musk’s anti-Pakistan campaign prior to granting a license. He should apologize before any further actions are taken,” he stressed.

The Special Secretary for IT underscored the necessity of maintaining sensitivity when providing satellite internet services in Pakistan.

He also clarified that Musk’s recent tweets indicating that Starlink was awaiting approval were misleading, as there had been no direct communication with Pakistani authorities.