Faulty submarine cable caused recent internet disruptions in Pakistan, PTA chief tells MPs

Tariq Butt, Correspondent

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on Wednesday attributed the nationwide slow internet to a faulty submarine cable and clarified that no firewalls were being installed, after drawing criticism from both lawmakers and the public.

During a meeting of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on IT, PTA Chairman Retired Major General Hafeezur Rehman faced tough questioning from the MPs over widespread complaints about internet slowdowns across Pakistan.

"The internet slowdown in the country is due to a faulty submarine cable, which is expected to be repaired by August 28,” Rehman said and clarified that it was the government’s web management system - and not a firewall - which was being upgraded.

"In my opinion, the internet should not slow down due to an upgrade,” he said. "The telecom sector has suffered a loss of Rs300 million.”

During the meeting, several senators grilled the PTA chief, expressing frustration over ongoing internet issues. They questioned why TikTok was sometimes shut down, the internet was often slow, and firewalls were intermittently imposed, demanding clarification on the situation.

"You have been asked a direct question,” Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Sharmila Farooqi said to the PTA chief. "Has a firewall been installed or not?”

Rehman responded by saying the PTA had no role in the internet slowdown and attributed it to technical issues. "Every country, including Afghanistan, has its own system,” he quipped.

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Senator Mustafa Kamal highlighted that companies have been instructed not to conduct business in Pakistan owing to internet issues. "From your briefing, it seems like there is no issue in Pakistan,” he told the PTA chief. "So is it really the case that all is well in the country despite all the hue and cry?”

Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan questioned the prolonged ban on social media platform X, asking for reasons behind its extended suspension and demanding to know when the ban would be lifted.

In response, the PTA chairman admitted that he had no more information on the matter than the committee members did.

The committee voiced their opposition to the ban, arguing that such restrictions hinder the country’s progress. They also requested a briefing on Islamabad and Karachi IT parks.

The PTA chairman noted that he hoped the ongoing internet issues would be resolved by Aug.27, adding that VPNs were not being blocked in the country, nor can they be.

"I never stated that VPNs were being restricted,” he said. "The country would experience slow internet for another six days.”

The chairman of the committee, Aminul Haq, urged the government to ensure that 5G services were available in Pakistan by March. He expressed frustration that despite significant efforts towards the 5G auction, Pakistan still lacked the technology, while other countries were advancing towards 6G.