Federal Minister for IT Shaza Fatima Khawaja has said that a submarine cable cut near Saudi Arabia has slowed down internet speed in several parts of Pakistan.
Speaking to the media in Islamabad, the minister explained that the disruption originated from an international submarine cable cut in Jeddah. She said Pakistan is in contact with the concerned authorities and that the public will be informed as soon as an update is received on the timeline for restoration.
Shaza Fatima added that the core issue within Pakistan remains the shortage of broadband spectrum. She added that discussions are underway with PTCL officials to address the matter.
The minister acknowledged that businesses are being affected by slower internet speeds. However, she said international organizations have not yet shared a clear timeline for repairing the damaged cable, and an assessment of the extent of damage is still in progress.
On September 6, a global submarine cable was cut near Saudi Arabia, which has not yet been restored. The disruption partially impacted bandwidth capacity on SMW4 and IMEWE systems, resulting in connectivity issues in Pakistan.