The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) said on Thursday a submarine cable fault near Qatar might impact internet and broadband user experience across Pakistan.
“This is to inform the general public that 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 PTA said in a statement.
“This may impact internet and broadband user experience across Pakistan.”
PTA said the concerned teams were working to fix the fault.
“PTA is monitoring the situation and will keep updating telecom users accordingly,” the statement read.
The development comes hours after the PTA Chairman Major General (retd) Hafeez Ur Rehman told the National Assembly’s (NA) Standing Committee on Information Technology & Telecommunication that four new submarine cables were being introduced to enhance the country’s internet performance.
Pakistan remains engulfed in internet disruptions, while X (formerly Twitter) remains blocked in the country.
Last month, PTA in a statement said it had made “significant strides” in enhancing international connectivity through the facilitation of Transworld Associate (TWA), the landing partner of 2Africa submarine cable for Pakistan.
The initiative “will improve Pakistan’s international telecommunications infrastructure and enhance connectivity”, it said then.
Minister of State for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja said last month that national security was the top priority of the government as lawmakers raised concerns over the persistent internet disruptions.
Speaking on the floor of the Parliament, the minister acknowledged some challenges to internet users’ experience because of the internet congestion and limited spectrum availability.
She said social media platform X was closed due to security concerns on the advice of the Interior Ministry.
Shaza further said the government was trying hard to localise the matter pertaining to the security concerns to avoid mass level shutting down of internet and mobile services.
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