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The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Information Technology, chaired by Syed Aminul Haque, was briefed about the current internet slowdown in Pakistan. Officials confirmed that multiple submarine cables have been cut off the coast of Yemen, severely disrupting connectivity.
During the session, IT and Telecom Secretary Zarrar Hasham Khan informed the committee that four to five submarine cables, including SMW4 and IMEWE systems, near Yemen have been damaged due to the regional situation, leading to a major slowdown in Pakistan’s internet services.
The secretary explained that two of the submarine cables directly connected to Pakistan were affected, forcing telecom companies to reroute bandwidth through alternative routes to maintain services.
According to the IT Secretary, restoring the damaged submarine cables will require special repair vessels, a process expected to take at least four to five weeks. He added that such incidents highlight the vulnerability of global internet infrastructure and its direct impact on Pakistan.
Committee member Sadiq Memon also raised concerns about internet speed, noting that disruptions have persisted despite announcements about new cables being introduced in the near future.
