Internet services fully restored in Rawalpindi, Islamabad

The PTA said the disruption occurred in the network of a telecommunications operator after an optical fibre cable was cut, affecting the services of some providers in the area. The technical fault resulted in partial disruption to internet connectivity in parts of the twin cities and some surrounding areas.

The regulator clarified that the issue was localised and did not affect internet services across the country., internet connectivity in central and southern parts of Pakistan continued to operate normally during the disruption. Some areas in the northern region also experienced internet-related problems.

Technical teams were deployed to identify and repair the damaged optical fibre infrastructure and restore connectivity. Following repair work, services were progressively brought back online in the affected areas. The PTA said internet services in Rawalpindi and Islamabad have now been completely restored, with mobile data and Wi-Fi services functioning normally.

The disruption briefly affected internet-dependent activities in the twin cities, including online communication, digital payments, remote working, online businesses and access to digital services. However, the regulator said the problem was limited to specific areas rather than being a nationwide outage.

Optical fibre networks form a major part of Pakistan’s telecommunications infrastructure and carry substantial volumes of internet and data traffic. Damage to fibre cables can result in connectivity problems for multiple service providers and users, depending on the affected network and available alternative routes.

The latest disruption highlights the importance of maintaining and protecting telecommunications infrastructure, particularly in densely populated urban centres where businesses, government offices and households rely heavily on uninterrupted internet connectivity. The PTA said its technical teams continued coordination with the relevant operator to ensure restoration of services in the affected areas.

With the repair work completed, residents and businesses in Rawalpindi and Islamabad can now access mobile data and Wi-Fi services as usual. The regulator’s clarification also indicates that the disruption was related to a technical fault rather than a nationwide internet shutdown.