Internet down in Pakistan: Users face difficulties in browsing, accessing social media sites

89% of users have complained about PTCL’s internet connectivity issues
No internet sign can be seen on a phone in Karachi, on July 13, 2024. — Gadinsider
No internet sign can be seen on a phone in Karachi, on July 13, 2024. — Gadinsider

Internet users across multiple cities reported widespread outages on Monday, causing significant disruptions and connectivity issues on social media.

According to the outage tracking website Downdetector.com, 89% of users experienced problems with PTCL’s internet service, while Connect users reported a 100% outage.

A sceengrab of the charts showing a view of problem reported in the past 24 hours. — Downdetector.com
A sceengrab of the charts showing a view of problem reported in the past 24 hours. — Downdetector.com

Major online platforms, including WhatsApp and Facebook, were severely affected, with users reporting slow speeds and difficulties accessing these applications. WhatsApp, in particular, was largely unusable, with over 70% of users struggling to send messages, especially voice messages.

Some users speculated that slow internet and social media platforms disruptions were the result of a firewall being installed by the government to monitor and keep check on users.

A sceengrab of a chart showing a view of problem reported in the past 24 hours. — Downdetector.com
A sceengrab of a chart showing a view of problem reported in the past 24 hours. — Downdetector.com

The cause of the internet slowdown remains unclear with no official communication from Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).

Users are anxiously awaiting updates and a resolution. When Gadinsider reached out to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) for an update on the internet issues in Pakistan, the spokesperson simply responded, "No."