Introduction
Pakistan’s internet services are facing a severe disruption after a major submarine cable cut near Jeddah in the Red Sea. Reported on September 7, 2025, the incident has caused nationwide slowdowns in browsing, streaming, and online business operations, underscoring the country’s dependence on international submarine cables.
What Happened
The outage was traced to damage on the SEA-ME-WE 5 (SMW-5) submarine cable, one of Pakistan’s key data lifelines connecting the country to the global internet.
- Connectivity Impact: The cut has reduced Pakistan’s internet bandwidth by an estimated 60–70%.
- Affected Regions: Major urban centers such as Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad are experiencing the worst slowdowns.
- Initial Response: The government and telecom operators have begun rerouting traffic through alternative cables, but network congestion remains high.
Economic and Social Impact
The disruption is having a significant economic toll:
- Business Losses: E-commerce platforms, digital agencies, and freelance workers report millions in daily revenue losses.
- Streaming & Communication: Platforms like YouTube, Zoom, and video-on-demand services are delivering slower streams and frequent outages.
- Education: Online learning and virtual classrooms have been interrupted, affecting thousands of students.
The incident highlights the importance of resilient digital infrastructure in a country where online services form a critical part of the economy.
Repair Timeline
According to preliminary estimates, full repairs may take until late September or even mid-October 2025.
- Specialized repair ships must travel to the site, assess the damage, and replace or splice the fiber-optic cable—an intricate and weather-dependent process.
- Authorities are coordinating with international cable consortiums to speed up restoration, but timelines can shift due to technical or environmental challenges.
Government and ISP Measures
To mitigate the impact, Pakistan’s Ministry of IT and Telecom and major ISPs have:
- Rerouted traffic to other submarine cables such as SMW-4 and IMEWE.
- Deployed temporary bandwidth boosts where possible.
- Issued public advisories about expected slow speeds during peak usage.
While these measures provide partial relief, users will likely continue to face inconsistent speeds and higher latency until the SMW-5 is fully restored.
Lessons for the Future
This outage underscores the need for:
- Diversified Connectivity: Increasing the number of international cables and partnerships to reduce dependence on a few routes.
- Domestic Data Centers: Hosting more content locally to limit reliance on overseas traffic.
- Emergency Planning: Establishing rapid-response protocols for critical digital infrastructure.
Experts suggest that investing in redundant networks and satellite internet alternatives could help Pakistan avoid similar crises in the future.
Conclusion
The Red Sea cable cut is a reminder of the fragility of global internet infrastructure and the urgent need for Pakistan to bolster its digital backbone. While repairs to the SMW-5 cable are underway, businesses, freelancers, and everyday users may face slow speeds until late September to mid-October 2025. The incident highlights both the challenges and opportunities in building a more resilient, connected Pakistan.
📌 Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and is based on publicly available reports as of September 2025. Timelines and technical details may change. The accompanying image is AI-generated and used solely for illustration.
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