Pakistan’s telecommunication regulator has attributed the recent disruptions in WhatsApp services to a possible “technical glitch.”
Since July 20, many users across the country have reported difficulties sending and receiving media files such as voice notes, photos, and videos on the messaging app while using mobile networks. Issues included prolonged download times or complete failures to download, with error messages advising users to switch to Wi-Fi.
According to the World Population Review, Pakistan has an impressive 52.3 million WhatsApp users as of 2024. However, despite this significant user base, service disruptions persist. Downdetector, a global platform that monitors online service interruptions, has reported continuous outages in Pakistan throughout the last 24 hours.
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Telecom providers have acknowledged these challenges. A spokesperson for Jazz, Pakistan’s largest mobile network, confirmed receiving reports of WhatsApp disruptions and expressed the company’s dedication to resolving these issues swiftly. Meanwhile, a representative from Telenor Pakistan noted that their investigation into weekend complaints revealed no network-related issues on their part.
A representative from Zong Pakistan stated that pinpointing the exact cause of the disruptions was challenging and declined to provide further details. However, Malahat Obaid, spokesperson for the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), denied any current problems with WhatsApp, suggesting that any reported issues might stem from a technical glitch, though specifics were not provided.
