Islamabad, January 2, 2025: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has confirmed that a fault in the AAE-1 submarine cable near Qatar has disrupted internet services across the country, impacting millions of users.
In a statement, the PTA acknowledged the issue:
“A fault has been reported in the submarine cable AAE-1 near Qatar, one of the seven international undersea cables connecting Pakistan for international internet traffic.”
The authority assured the public that teams are actively working to resolve the problem and emphasized its commitment to keeping users informed:
“This fault may impact internet and broadband user experience across Pakistan. PTA is monitoring the situation closely and will provide updates as they become available.”
The internet slowdown has significantly affected users nationwide, with popular platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok either experiencing reduced functionality or complete outages. Businesses, students, and professionals reliant on digital connectivity have expressed frustration over limited access to essential services.
The PTA and internet service providers are coordinating with international cable operators to expedite repairs and minimize disruption. However, no timeline for full restoration has been provided yet.
This incident highlights the vulnerability of Pakistan’s internet infrastructure, which depends heavily on a limited number of submarine cables for international connectivity. Experts have called for increased investment in redundancy measures to prevent similar disruptions in the future. Users are advised to remain patient as efforts continue to restore normal internet services.
