Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) announced that internet users in Pakistan may face disruptions due to cuts in submarine cables in Saudi waters near Jeddah. The cuts affect two major undersea cables, SMW4 and IMEWE, which connect Pakistan to global networks. This reduces the bandwidth capacity available.
PTCL, in a statement on the social media platform, said that international partners are working quickly to fix the damaged cables. Local teams are also finding alternative bandwidth to reduce the impact on users. “We thank our customers for their patience,” PTCL added.
Data from Down Detector showed a rise in outage reports on Saturday morning. Complaints increased overnight and peaked around 9 a.m. By 10:09 a.m., there were at least 16 reports, showing widespread disruption.
Earlier this year, Pakistan connected to the Africa-1 submarine cable. This cable stretches 10,000 kilometres and links Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, and France. Approved in November 2020 at $59.5 million, the project should be fully operational by early 2026. It will strengthen Pakistan’s internet infrastructure.
Read : PTCL Resolves Submarine Cable Fault, Restores Internet Services
These cable cuts show how much Pakistan relies on undersea networks. They also highlight the need for stronger digital infrastructure. PTCL’s work to restore service is crucial for keeping people connected.
