The main causes behind Pakistan’s internet disruptions are frequent faults in international submarine cable systems and insufficient investment in mobile networks. Experts from the telecom and IT sectors emphasize the urgent need for a practical, integrated, and proactive national policy to resolve the issue.
According to Shehzad Arshad, Chairman of the Wireless and Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan, this long-ignored problem reflects the fragile state of the country’s connectivity. He pointed out that lack of competition in gateways, overreliance on submarine cables, and weak national policies are the reasons behind repeated outages. Without immediate reforms, Pakistan’s digital economy will be severely affected, with consequences for business, education, healthcare, and national security.
Sources reveal that at least four to five cables near the coast of Yemen have been damaged, including the SMW4 and IMEWE systems near the Red Sea. Repairs may take up to two weeks. Currently, Pakistan is connected through eight international submarine cable systems: SMW3, TW1, IMEWE, AAE-1, PEACE, SMW5, SMW4, and Orient Express.
