A critical fibre optic cable connecting Pakistan with Europe via Singapore has been severed, resulting in significant internet disruptions across Pakistan.
The local news channels reported that the damage occurred near Indonesia within the Southeast Asia-Middle East-Western Europe cable system.
This optical fibre submarine cable has experienced five cuts, affecting internet services nationwide. Sources from PTCL have indicated that repairs on the fibre optic cable are expected to take about a month.
The severed cable primarily impacts internet service from the east, affecting the data traffic managed by PTCL and TransWorld in Pakistan. Consequently, Pakistani users are experiencing difficulties browsing and searching the internet, with the issues becoming more pronounced during evening hours.
It is important to note that the internet traffic from the east represents less than 10% of Pakistan’s total internet traffic. In response to the disruption, sources have confirmed that the internet traffic previously routed through this cable has been redirected to alternative pathways to mitigate the impact on users.
