Major Internet Outage Hits Pakistan, Affecting Two-Thirds of Users
Large parts of Pakistan experienced a major internet outage on Tuesday, disrupting businesses, financial services, and daily life. Estimates suggest nearly two-thirds of users were affected, making it one of the country’s most severe connectivity disruptions in recent years.
The blackout drew attention because it coincides with a similar nationwide outage on August 19, 2022, when floods damaged key fiber routes. The repetition has raised concerns about the fragility of Pakistan’s digital infrastructure.
Shahzad Arshad, chairman of the Wireless and Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan (WISPAP), criticized the recurring failures as a “national issue,” highlighting overreliance on a few backbone providers.
Arshad said:
“Internet outages are no longer rare accidents in Pakistan. For two-thirds of the country to go offline again on the same date as 2022 should ring alarm bells. A reliable internet is as essential as electricity — freelancers, students, hospitals, and banks all depend on uninterrupted connectivity.”
He urged regulators to diversify infrastructure, establish regional internet exchanges, and invest in redundancy. While smaller ISPs often keep some communities online during outages, stronger policies are needed to prevent national-level disruptions.
