The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has claimed that a fault in a submarine cable is the primary reason behind the recent internet disruptions experienced across the country.

In a briefing to the Standing Committee on Information Technology, PTA Chairman Hafiz Rahman explained that a fault in one of the seven fiber optic cables bringing 7.5 terabits of data into Pakistan has caused the service disruptions. He stated that this particular cable is expected to be repaired by August 27.

The PTA chairman refuted earlier claims made by the Minister of State for IT, Shaza Fatima, that the widespread use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) was to blame for the internet issues.

Hafiz Rahman clarified that the submarine cable fault was a localized problem for Pakistan and not a global outage.

Responding to questions from the committee members, the PTA chief acknowledged the impact the disruption has had on local internet services and freelancers.

He reassured that the authorities are closely monitoring the situation and taking necessary steps to restore full connectivity as soon as the damaged cable is repaired.

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This latest incident has highlighted the vulnerability of Pakistan’s internet infrastructure, which relies heavily on a handful of submarine cable systems.

Experts have called for greater investment and diversification to strengthen the country’s digital connectivity and resilience against potential future disruptions.