Users of WhatsApp and Instagram in Pakistan experienced significant outages on Saturday, as noted by the outage tracking platform Downdetector.

Reports indicated that Instagram faced up to 86 disruptions within a single hour, while WhatsApp users began experiencing issues around 10:45am, particularly struggling to send voice messages. Additionally, internet services from providers Zong and PTCL also reported interruptions throughout the morning.

Staff members from Aaj News in Karachi confirmed difficulties with mobile internet connectivity.

The Pakistan Telecommunications Authority has not yet issued a statement regarding such outages. In August, the PTA had warned that internet speeds across the country were expected to remain slow until early October, due to repairs needed on a submarine cable causing the disruptions.

The PTA attributed the internet slowdown in the country to issues with two of the seven international submarine cables, specifically the SMW4 and AAE-1 cables.

According to the PTA, repairs on the SMW-4 cable are expected to be completed by early October 2024. Meanwhile, the AAE-1 cable has been successfully repaired, which is anticipated to enhance the overall internet experience for users.