Pakistan faces internet disruptions due to a fault in the SEA-ME-WE 5

  Several internet users across various cities in Pakistan have been observing connectivity problems, including reduced browsing speeds, disrupted online services, and difficulty opening websites and mobile applications, according to outage tracking platform Down Detector.

 The disruption is supposedly linked to a fault in the SEA-ME-WE 5 (SMW5) international submarine cable, which carries part of the country's international internet traffic according to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).

 This cable outage has impacted a fraction of Pakistan's global internet capacity, resulting in sporadic slowdowns and unstable connections for users in different parts of the country, as per the telecom regulator’s explanation.

 PTA added that it is working closely with relevant stakeholders and international partners to monitor the situation and facilitate the swift restoration of normal internet services across Pakistan.

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 Even so, they have not yet provided a definite timeline as to when the internet services are expected to return to normal. Nonetheless, said efforts are ongoing to reduce the disruption and restore stable connectivity at the earliest.

The SEA-ME-WE 5 (SMW5) submarine cable serves as one of Pakistan's major international internet gateways.

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is closely monitoring internet traffic disruption caused by a fault in the SEA-ME-WE 5 (SMW5) international submarine cable system. As a result, some internet users may experience intermittent degradation in service quality and… pic.twitter.com/Ei2n5LtiMV

— PTA (@PTAofficialpk) July 2, 2026

A fault in the system can temporarily affect internet speed and network stability until traffic is redirected through other routes or the damaged cable is repaired.

Internet service providers are expected to rely on backup international links wherever possible to ease the impact while restoration work continues.

Until the issue is resolved, users may continue to face occasional slow speeds and connectivity problems.

Meanwhile, many users turned to X, formerly Twitter, and other social media platforms to express frustration over the outage, saying the disruption has affected remote work, online learning, video streaming, and day-to-day communication.