ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s internet services are expected to remain disrupted for up to five weeks, according to IT Secretary Dr. Zarar Hashim. The outages stem from damage to undersea cables off the coast of Yemen, which have significantly impacted internet connectivity across several countries, including Pakistan and India.
Dr. Hashim explained that repairing the cables requires specialized ships, and efforts are underway to fix the issue. He also mentioned that in the next 12 to 18 months, Pakistan will see the addition of three new cables, improving its connectivity with Europe. These agreements have already been finalized.
The statement came during a meeting of the Standing Committee on IT and Telecom in Islamabad, where committee member Sadiq Memon raised concerns about the ongoing internet disruptions. Memon questioned why the internet issues persist despite the upcoming new cables.
Dr. Hashim clarified that multiple cables—between four and five—have been damaged off Yemen’s coast. He added that the situation is exacerbated by the ongoing conflict in the region, which is delaying repair efforts.
Cable damage is a common issue, with the International Cable Protection Committee reporting around 150 to 200 outages each year globally. Most of these disruptions are caused by fishing activities and anchoring, though natural factors such as cable aging and equipment failure also contribute.
While large telecom operators once dominated the laying of undersea cables, internet giants have increasingly taken over the task as they respond to the growing demand for data. Today, nearly 1.4 million kilometers (nearly 900,000 miles) of fiber optic cables are laid on the ocean floor, providing crucial services like trade, financial transactions, and digital health services worldwide.
