The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) said it was closely monitoring internet traffic disruptions caused by a fault in the SEA-ME-WE 5 (SMW5) international submarine cable system.
In a statement, the authority said that “some Internet users may experience periodic degradation of service quality and connectivity as a result of the error.”
The authority further said that Transworld Associates (TWA) is coordinating with the SMW5 consortium to identify the cause of the failure and determine the estimated time to recovery (ETTR).
“Meanwhile, internet traffic is being rerouted through alternative international links to minimize impact and ensure service continuity to the greatest extent possible,” the PTA said.
“The PTA remains in close coordination with the affected stakeholders and will continue to monitor the situation to facilitate the earliest possible restoration of normal internet services across the country,” it added.
In May this year, the Minister of Information Technology and Telecommunications, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, informed the National Assembly that prolonged and repeated power outages across the country were among the main causes of slow internet services and deterioration in telecommunications quality.
In written responses to the National Assembly, Shaza Fatima Khawaja said unreliable commercial electricity and reliance on solar systems, especially during shorter winter days, reduced backup resources and operational capacity at telecommunication sites.
Difficult terrain, severe weather, security issues and access restrictions delayed maintenance, while fiber outages, backhaul disruptions and equipment theft further affected service continuity.
The minister said Pakistan’s international connectivity had improved with the landing of three undersea cables in recent years. She said fiber optic connections had expanded significantly nationwide, while fiber-based home connections had increased from 1.9 million in 2024 to 5.1 million within two years.
