Animal rescue is about to become a lot easier in Pakistan, thanks to the country’s first-ever dedicated mobile app, Woofy. Woofy recently became available to the public following a launch event on Sunday.

Woofy facilitates animal rescue through quick reporting and responding. Through this mobile app, anyone can report cases of an injured, abandoned, or abused animal within minutes.

Here’s how it works.

As the screenshots show, you can tap on the green “Report Now” button to get started. Here, you need to choose a category between Injured, Abused, or Abandoned through the buttons at the top. Then, add further details, including a picture of the animal, location, and a contact number. You can also add additional notes to share more details about the animal.

Case reporters and rescuers have separate profiles on the app so both can find each other easily. Similarly, the app has two separate dashboards. One tracks the status of rescued animals, and the other helps manage reports and updates. Both dashboards are updated in real-time.

Once the case is reported, anyone using the app can view the case to provide rescue. Woofy has partnered with vets and clinics to make it easier for rescuers to find facilities nearby, including those providing discounts. Woofy also plans to add transportation services dedicated specifically to animal rescue soon, with vehicles meant to take you and your animal to nearby vets.

Woofy has been in the works for a year and was founded by animal welfare activists Yair Salman and Talha Chaudry. It is available for both iOS and Android through the App Store and the Google Play Store. It is only available in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, with plans to expand to additional cities in the future.

Plans to launch satellite-based internet services in Pakistan have slowed due to regulatory and security concerns, despite strong interest from major global technology companies.

Officials say one of the main concerns is oversight. Existing internet services can be monitored or suspended during security situations, but authorities may face difficulties blocking satellite-based connectivity when needed. This has made regulation a key issue for policymakers.

US-based satellite internet provider Starlink has completed its technical preparations to launch services in Pakistan.

However, the regulatory framework required for such operations has not yet been finalised. Sources said satellite internet services cannot begin without a clear licensing and compliance system, even if companies are technically ready.

Currently, five companies are seeking licences to offer satellite-based internet services in Pakistan and have expressed plans to invest millions of dollars in the country. According to the Pakistan Space Activities Regulatory Board (PSARB), these companies include Starlink, Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology Limited (SSST), OneWeb of the Eutelsat Group, Amazon’s Project Kuiper, and Canadian satellite operator Telesat.

PSARB officials said most of these firms have already completed significant preparatory work for launching their services. They also noted that Chinese companies currently have stronger market penetration in Pakistan compared to US firms and are actively moving into the satellite internet sector, where Starlink is considered a direct competitor.

Despite this progress, the registration and licensing process remains pending. PSARB officials said the board has yet to finalise the licensing regime.

While consultations with stakeholders have been completed, the government requires more time to introduce safety mechanisms before allowing satellite-based internet services to start operating in Pakistan.

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has made it clear that incumbent mobile operators must place mandatory minimum bids in the very first round of the upcoming 5G spectrum auction or risk immediate disqualification.

In its responses issued during the consultation process, the regulator said failure to meet the minimum bidding threshold in Round 1 will lead to exclusion from the auction and full forfeiture of the pre-bid deposit. Any bidder that does not submit valid bids will be treated as having placed zero bids across all categories.

According to the clarification, incumbent operators are required to bid for at least five lots each in the 2600 MHz and 3500 MHz bands during the first round of the allocation stage. Any bid submitted below this requirement will be declared invalid under the auction rules.

The authority also emphasized that these conditions relate only to minimum bidding obligations and do not guarantee spectrum allocation. Operators may end up securing fewer lots than bid for, depending on the level of competition during the auction process.

The regulator further explained that applicants are not required to declare their spectrum demand at the time of submitting applications. The application and pre bid deposit only signal a commitment to comply with the minimum bidding requirement in the first allocation round, not a claim over a specific quantity of spectrum.

The clarification from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority comes as the country prepares for its first 5G auction, with strict rules aimed at ensuring serious participation from existing operators.