According to sources, these views were expressed by Gul Qaiser Sarwar, Counselor and Political Coordinator of the Pakistan Mission to the United Nations, while addressing the 15-member meeting of the UN Security Council, held under the Russian Federation’s auspices as part of the ARIA formula.
Sources stated that the meeting involved detailed discussions on the risks posed by unregulated LEO (Low Earth Orbit) satellites. The Pakistani representative said that due to the unregulated proliferation of commercial activities in LEO, orbital slots, spectrum, space situational awareness capabilities, and economic benefits are becoming concentrated in a few countries and organizations. He warned that without corrective measures, developing and emerging spacefaring nations could be marginalized in the long term.
Reiterating Pakistan’s position, Gul Qaiser Sarwar said that outer space, including LEO, is the shared heritage of all humanity, and no country or organization should monopolize it. He emphasized that technical or commercial dominance should not translate into privileged access or regulatory superiority.
He noted that the rapid increase in mega-constellations is leading to congestion in space, competition for spectrum, and a rise in space debris hazards, which could threaten the sustainable use of LEO and equitable access for new spacefaring nations in the future.
The Pakistani envoy also expressed concern over the growing use of commercial LEO systems for military and intelligence purposes, which is blurring the line between civilian and military activities and increasing the risks of misunderstandings, tensions, and unintentional collisions. He clarified that under international law, all national activities in space are the responsibility of the respective states, even if conducted through private entities.
Gul Qaiser Sarwar stated that the risks related to LEO cannot be viewed in isolation from the broader context of space security, which includes the arms race in space, the development of anti-satellite capabilities, and the integration of space assets into nuclear, cyber, and conventional military strategies—all of which collectively undermine global strategic stability.
He added that using LEO systems to spread misinformation, create social instability, or interfere in the internal affairs of other countries violates the principles of sovereignty and non-intervention, and the current international framework is inadequate to address these challenges.
