The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has said the internet across the country is expected to remain slow till October, by which time the regulator claims it will have fixed the damaged submarine cable causing the disruptions, according to a recent update.
The internet across Pakistan has been facing persistent slow speeds and disruptions for several weeks. The disturbances have severely affected online services and social media platforms, including WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram. On WhatsApp, users are unable to download voice messages and media, while lagging speeds have heavily disrupted personal internet use and work around the country.
There has been no concrete explanation from the government despite widespread outcry and questions being sought for the unexplained slow connectivity and internet disruptions. The telecom regulator’s response, which came weeks later, revolves around an allegedly damaged submarine cable, which the authority claims is under repairs.
The PTA’s explanation has been difficult to digest for many for a number of reasons, including contradictory statements by IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja. Earlier this month, the minister ascribed the disruptions to the government’s upgradation of the “web management system” and what she called an excessive use of virtual private networks (VPNs). On the other hand, speculation has surged regarding the installation of a firewall by the government in an attempt to control online traffic.
The PTA, expanding on its faulty submarine clarification behind the weeks-long disruption, has said the connectivity outages are a result of damage to two of the seven submarine cables that connect Pakistan internationally.
“The ongoing internet slowdown across the country is mainly due to fault in two (SMW4, AAE-1) of the seven international submarine cables connecting Pakistan internationally,” the PTA says in its recent statement. “It is updated that fault in SMW-4 submarine is likely to be repaired by early October.” The other cable, the regulator adds, has been repaired, which may improve connectivity.
The widespread internet disruptions have attracted strong criticism from digital rights activists, civil society groups, journalists, and other professionals. In a statement released on Monday, Amnesty International called on the government to come clean about the prolonged connectivity problems.
“Amnesty International urges the Pakistani authorities to be transparent about the cause of these internet disruptions and ensure that they do not deploy monitoring and surveillance systems that are unnecessary, disproportionate, and in violation of international human rights law,” Amnesty International said.
On the other hand, the ban on social media platform X (previously Twitter) has surpassed seven months in the country.
