The 26th Meeting of the South Asian Telecommunication Regulators’ Council (SATRC-26) was held from 5 to 7 November 2025 at Islamabad Serena Hotel, Islamabad, Pakistan. The meeting was hosted by Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). It was attended by 119 participants representing 8 SATRC Members, other APT members and international organizations. The inaugural address was delivered by Her Excellency Ms. Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Honorable Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication, Government of Pakistan.
SATRC-26 elected Mr. Major General (R) Hafeezur Rehman, Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, as Chair of SATRC, and Air Vice Marshal (Retd.) Mr. Bandula Herath, Director General of the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka, as Vice-Chair of SATRC. The meeting considered and approved the outcomes of Action Plan Phase IX, taking into account the implementation report and the status of the SATRC Fund. SATRC-26 also approved the detailed reports on the work items undertaken for study for Action Plan Phase IX. Those reports will be published as SATRC Report on the APT website and SATRC web portal.
SATRC-26 adopted SATRC Action Plan Phase X for implementation period of 2026-2027. SATRC Members also pledged their extra budgetary contribution for SATRC Fund for the implementation of Action Plan Phase X. Action Plan Phase X will include the activities of two SATRC Working Groups, 3 capacity building workshops, SATRC web portal, and SATRC Web Dialogue sessions.
As part of its regular activities, SATRC-26 featured a Regulators’ Roundtable and a Regulator– Industry Dialogue. The Regulators’ Roundtable focused on the Tokyo Statement, exploring how its priorities can be reflected in the South Asian context, including potential regulatory interventions and new approaches to support its commitments. The Regulator–Industry Dialogue examined the current policy landscape, shared regional and international best practices, and highlighted innovative technologies and licensing models that are advancing connectivity. Discussions also addressed aligning spectrum policies with universal access goals, investment incentives, and infrastructure-sharing frameworks to foster a more connected and inclusive South Asia.
The 27th Meeting of the SATRC will be hosted by the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka in Colombo in the fourth quarter of 2026.
More information ➡ https://apt.int/Meeting/2025-SATRC26