Social media users across Pakistan are expressing distress due to the reported shutdowns of WhatsApp and Instagram, adding to already heightened concerns about internet service disruptions. Numerous complaints regarding these interruptions have been lodged with Zong and Pakistan Telecommunication Limited (PTCL).
According to Down Detector, a website that tracks application outages, Instagram users lodged about 86 complaints of shutdowns within just an hour. In contrast, WhatsApp users experienced sluggishness and app failures until 10:45 AM today. The report from Down Detector highlighted that WhatsApp users struggled with downloading and sending images and encountered delays in sending voice notes.
Read: Punjab Suspends Mobile and Internet Services for MDCAT on September 22
Down Detector has reported Zong and PTCL to experienced network shutdowns since early morning.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has yet to announce these disruptions. In August, the PTA warned that internet services might be slow nationwide until early October due to issues with submarine cables. Officials explained that the slowdown was primarily due to malfunctions in two of the seven international submarine cables connecting Pakistan globally.
The anticipated repairs on the SMDW-4 submarine cable would be completed by early October 2024, while the AAA-1 cable had already been fixed, which was expected to mitigate some of the ongoing issues. Despite these repairs, users continue to face connectivity problems.
