Internet services in Pakistan have been affected after a submarine cable suffered damage near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The disruption has slowed down connectivity for millions of users, with many noticing the issue most during peak usage hours.
According to officials from PTCL, two major international systems—SMW4 and IMEWE—have been impacted by the cable cut.
These systems carry a large portion of the country’s internet traffic, so any damage to them directly affects users across Pakistan.
A PTCL spokesperson explained that the company has already started working on alternative arrangements. Extra bandwidth from other sources is being arranged to reduce the inconvenience faced by customers.
The spokesperson added that the technical teams are closely monitoring the situation to ensure stability and restore services as soon as possible.
Internet disruptions like these are not uncommon, as submarine cables are often vulnerable to faults caused by underwater movements, accidents, or technical issues.
Since these cables carry most of the world’s international internet traffic, even a single cut can lead to widespread slowdowns.
For now, PTCL has advised customers to remain patient and expect occasional slow browsing or buffering until full services are restored. While progress is being made, users may continue to face interruptions for some time.
The incident highlights the importance of backup systems and alternative routes for internet traffic to avoid large-scale disruptions in the future.
Authorities and service providers are focusing on quick restoration to bring connectivity back to normal across the country.
