Internet users in Pakistan could experience disruptions after two major submarine cables were damaged in Saudi waters near Jeddah, Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) said on Saturday.
The cuts have partially reduced bandwidth on the SMW4 and IMEWE systems, both critical undersea links that connect Pakistan to international networks. PTCL confirmed its global partners are addressing the fault as a priority, while local teams are deploying alternative bandwidth routes to maintain service.
“We are grateful to our customers for their patience,” the company said in a statement. “Efforts are being made to minimize the impact of the submarine cable fault.”
So far, users across the country have reported slower browsing and streaming, especially during peak evening hours. PTCL has assured subscribers that services will normalize once the damaged cables are repaired.
According to the reports[1], outage tracking service Downdetector showed 13 user reports from Pakistan at around 10:30 a.m., signaling “possible problems” with connectivity.
The latest disruption comes as Pakistan continues to strengthen its international internet backbone. Earlier this year, the Africa-1 submarine cable was integrated into the country’s infrastructure. The 10,000-kilometer-long system connects Pakistan with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, and France.
Approved by PTCL’s Board of Directors in November 2020 for $59.5 million, the Africa-1 project is expected to be fully operational by the first quarter of 2026.