Islamabad (AP) — In recent weeks, millions of Pakistanis have experienced significantly slower internet connections, a problem that has been traced back to a faulty undersea internet cable. Hafeezur Rehman, the chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), confirmed on Wednesday that the issue is expected to be resolved by the end of August.
The internet slowdown has had a widespread impact, affecting nearly half of Pakistan’s 241 million population. With approximately 110 million internet users in the country, this issue has caused up to 40% slower internet speeds for a substantial segment of the population. The slowdown has notably hindered the use of social media platforms, including the widely used messaging service, WhatsApp.
Rehman’s announcement marks the first official acknowledgment from the government regarding the cause of the disruption. Prior to this, there was widespread speculation and confusion about the reasons behind the internet issues. The government had previously denied claims that the slowdown was related to the installation of a national firewall, which some had suggested might be interfering with internet performance.
In a meeting with lawmakers in Islamabad, Rehman explained that the slowdown was due to a technical fault in the deep-sea internet cable, which is a crucial infrastructure component for global internet connectivity. He assured that efforts are underway to address the technical problems, with a resolution expected by August 27.
The slowdown has had notable consequences, disrupting business operations and generating widespread frustration among internet users. As Pakistan navigates this issue, the government’s commitment to resolving the technical difficulties is seen as a crucial step toward restoring normal internet speeds and alleviating the impact on millions of users.
As the situation develops, both businesses and individual users will be keenly awaiting the restoration of full internet services. The government’s efforts to fix the problem are closely monitored, with hopes that the resolution will come in line with the projected timeline.