What started as a regular evening quickly turned into a nightmare for millions of internet users across Pakistan.
People were left staring at endless loading screens as websites loaded slowly, videos froze in the middle of streaming, and WhatsApp calls repeatedly failed. As users found it difficult to stay connected, social media platforms became flooded with complaints.
PTA later confirmed that the recent mobile internet slowdown across major cities has been resolved. According to the spokesperson, services are back to normal nationwide. Still, the disruption left many frustrated, especially as popular apps like WhatsApp and Instagram became nearly unusable for hours.
PTA assured users that steps are being taken to ensure stability and to avoid similar issues in the future. But the incident has highlighted just how fragile Pakistan’s digital backbone really is. A single disruption can throw the entire country’s online activity into chaos.
This slowdown is part of a bigger connectivity crisis. Earlier this month, multiple undersea cables in the Red Sea were damaged.
Since much of Pakistan’s internet traffic flows through these cables, the rerouting caused longer delays, higher latency, and generally slow speeds. The impact was not just felt in Pakistan but across the region.
Experts have pointed out that two key Asia-Europe cables, SMW4 and IMEWE are at the center of the issue. Repairs may take up to five weeks, meaning users should be prepared for occasional slowdowns, especially during peak hours, even if local networks appear fine.
