Pakistan Internet Shutdown: Elon Musk's Starlink To Rescue? See Report

As internet disruptions have become increasingly common in the neighbouring country of Pakistan, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government is considering reaching out to Elon Musk for his assistance, according to a Geo News report.

Shafqat Ayaz who is the Special Assistant to the KP Chief Minister said that the provincial government is exploring other avenues that can assist them in resolving this issue, as the IT sector is impacted.

"There is an internet issue in KP, but the reasons behind it remain unclear," Ayaz said.

Pakistan's internet crisis has been going on for months and authorities frequently have been attributing these issues to faults in submarine cables. But there are increasing speculations now that the government might be experimenting with an internet "firewall," which is leading to these disruptions.

In the meantime, Elon Musk has confirmed that his satellite internet service, Starlink, is awaiting approval from the Pakistani government, according to Geo News.

The billionaire announced on his X account, "We are waiting for approval from the government." This came after a conversation with Pakistan's social media activist Sanam Jamali urging Musk to expedite the launch of Starlink in the country.

Pakistani Minister of State for IT and Telecommunication, Shaza Fatima Khawaja also confirmed that the Pakistani government has been in talks with Starlink to bring it to Pakistan.

During a Standing Committee meeting of the Senate on IT and Telecommunication, Khawaja assured that discussions are in process to introduce Starlink's satellite based internet in Pakistan.

Starlink's launch could offer a much-needed solution to Pakistanis who have been struggling for long with unreliable internet.