Pakistan to regulate satellite services
July 6, 2020
By Chris Forrester
Pakistan has come somewhat late to the satellite sector but the Prime Minister’s office says it is looking to raise some $700 million from its new ‘Paksat Programme’.
Pakistan’s Strategic Plans Division (SPD) prepared a summary for the Prime Minister’s review in March 2019 to address the voids related to sustainability of the National Space Programme (NSP), which was an all-encompassing programme envisaging developments in the field of space and having direct linkages with the strategic programme.
Data from Pakistan says that the total authorised satellite capacity usage in the country about 2,200 MHz out of which 21 per cent is on its own satellites and the rest on foreign craft.
Pakistan calculates that a minimum of $35-$40 million annually is leaving the country. The draft policy targets $600-$700 million of revenues in the period to 2030.
“This summary was presented to the cabinet which, after discussion, asked for placing it before the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC). The summary has been sent to the economic decision-making body. This is in national interest and in line with similar policies in a number of countries. It will save foreign exchange and help utilise the investment made in the national satellite programme,” said the government’s IT Secretary Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui.