ISLAMABAD – Pakistanis continue to face slow Internet Speeds amid Subsea Cable Fault near Qatar and now Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) shared an update on the situation.
In a recent update, the company assured working on internet disruptions that affected users amid fault in Asia-Africa-Europe-1 (AAE-1) subsea cable. The company also apologized for the inconvenience and assured users that their teams are diligently working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.
The company mentioned constantly contacting international teams working on repair and receiving regular updates. It said the fault in the AAE-1 cable has previously been responsible for similar slowdowns in Pakistan, with businesses and internet providers raising concerns over the government’s internet monitoring efforts.
The latest disruptions come amid existing internet restrictions in Pakistan as slow speeds persist. The country of over 240 million performed poor in broadband and mobile data speed, despite claims of the company.
In recent months, users have reported slow browsing speeds, difficulties in downloading media on WhatsApp, and intermittent connectivity issues. Limited access to Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) has also hindered access to restricted websites, including platforms like X.
The recent situation worsened as authorities installed some kind of firewall using the latest technology to monitor and regulate online traffic, including popular social apps. The system aims to improve web monitoring at key internet gateways. However, its testing since mid-July has caused internet slowdowns and issues with messaging apps.
Right activists claimed that the new firewall tightens control over internet traffic, allowing authorities to block or throttle specific features of apps, such as voice or video calls. Despite claims of disruptions, Sharif led government members and PTA deny firewall was responsible for the connectivity issues.
