https://x.com/PTAofficialpk/status/2072724589260542250
The SMW5 cable fault confirmed by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on July 2, 2026 is causing slow and patchy internet for millions of users across the country. If your videos are buffering, pages are loading late, or video calls keep dropping today, this undersea cable break is most likely the reason.
PTA put out an official statement saying it is closely watching the disruption caused by the fault. The regulator confirmed the problem is in the SEA-ME-WE 5 international submarine cable system, one of the main undersea cables that carries internet traffic between Pakistan and the wider world.
What the PTA Said About the SMW5 Cable Fault
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is closely monitoring internet traffic disruption caused by a fault in the SEA-ME-WE 5 (SMW5) international submarine cable system. As a result, some internet users may experience intermittent degradation in service quality and connectivity.
Transworld Associates (TWA) is coordinating with the SMW5 Consortium to identify the root cause of the fault and determine the estimated time for restoration (ETTR).
According to its website, TWA is the only private-sector operator with exclusive ownership of submarine fibre-optic cable systems in Pakistan. The company serves as a key bridge between Pakistani internet service providers and the global internet.
TWA customers received an SMS apologising for the inconvenience and stating that there was a “technical fault” in one of its submarine cables. ISP Nayatel also sent a warning to its users. Nayatel warned customers that they may experience slower internet browsing due to a degradation in an international submarine cable segment.
How Traffic Rerouting Works During a Cable Break
When an undersea cable breaks, internet traffic does not simply stop. Network operators shift it to other cables that run along different sea routes. Think of it like a road diversion when a highway is blocked. The internet can still move, but through a longer or less direct path.
In the meantime, internet traffic is being rerouted through alternate international links to minimize the impact and ensure service continuity to the greatest extent possible.
The problem with rerouting is that backup paths often carry more traffic than they were built to handle at one time. This is why you get slower speeds rather than a total blackout. International submarine cable systems such as SEA-ME-WE 5 play a vital role in carrying internet traffic between Pakistan and the rest of the world. Any disruption to these undersea cables can affect internet speed, latency, and overall connectivity, particularly when traffic needs to be shifted to backup routes.
The authority said emergency measures had been implemented to prevent a nationwide internet blackout. Internet traffic has been rerouted through alternative international links to ensure users remain connected while repair work is under way.
What is the SMW5 Cable and Why Does Pakistan Depend on It?
The SEA-ME-WE 5 (SMW5) is one of the most important undersea cables serving South Asia. The SEA-ME-WE 5 (SMW5) is a 20,000km submarine cable system connecting 17 countries through Points-of-Presence from Singapore to the Middle East to France and Italy in Western Europe, with an initial system design capacity of 24 Tbps over 3 fiber pairs.
SEA-ME-WE 5 follows the ancient maritime Silk Road, running from Singapore through Malaysia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan (Karachi), Oman, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Djibouti, Yemen, Egypt, Turkey, Italy, and France, with 18 landing points across 16 countries.
For Pakistan, the cable lands at Karachi. It is one of the key pipelines that sends and receives data between Pakistan and Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Any break in this cable directly affects Pakistani users because a large chunk of international internet traffic travels through it.
The design capacity was upgraded from 24 Tbit/s to 36.6 Tbit/s in September 2019 using Ciena’s GeoMesh Extreme 300G technology. Despite this upgraded capacity, a physical fault can still cut the line and force traffic to detour.
This is not the first time the SMW5 has run into trouble. In April 2024, the SEA-ME-WE 5 cable developed a fault in the Strait of Malacca due to water penetrating the insulation of the cable, causing a short circuit which led to a complete loss of communication, and connectivity was lost between Kuakata, Bangladesh and the final landing point in Tuas, Singapore. Repair work on that fault took months.
Pakistan has experienced repeated internet slowdowns linked to submarine cable issues, and this latest SMW5 cable fault follows a pattern that experts say highlights the need for cable diversity and stronger backup capacity.
How Bad Is the Impact on Pakistani Users?
Thousands of users across the country have reported connectivity issues, with complaints pouring in about slow browsing, buffering videos, interrupted online meetings, and difficulty accessing digital services. The disruption appears to be widespread, affecting users in multiple cities rather than a single region.
The disruption is also reflected on internet monitoring platform Downdetector, where reports of connectivity problems surged as users from different parts of Pakistan flagged issues with browsing websites, streaming content, online gaming, video conferencing, and accessing cloud-based services.
As internet speeds slowed, social media platforms, particularly X and Facebook, were flooded with complaints from frustrated users demanding answers over the unexpected disruption.
When Will Internet Return to Normal?
The honest answer is: no one has said yet. Although PTA officially linked the disruption to the SMW5 submarine cable fault, authorities have not yet announced an Estimated Time to Restoration (ETTR).
The authority assured users that it is continuously monitoring network performance and will provide updates as more information becomes available regarding the restoration timeline.
Submarine cable repairs take time. A repair ship must be sent to the exact location of the break, which can be anywhere along thousands of kilometres of undersea cable. Once found, the damaged segment must be lifted from the sea floor, cut, spliced, and relaid. Depending on the location and weather, this can take days or even weeks.
The good news is that Pakistan’s connectivity situation has improved overall in recent years. In November, a new submarine internet cable, the South-East Asia, Middle East, Western Europe 6 (SEA-ME-WE 6), landed in Pakistan. The cable has a total capacity of over 100 terabit per second and it will provide one of the lowest-latency routes between Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Western Europe. Pakistan has been allocated a total of 13.2 Tbps on that newer cable, which helps absorb some of the load when older cables like SMW5 face faults.
PTA remains in close coordination with the concerned stakeholders and will continue to monitor the situation to facilitate the earliest possible restoration of normal internet services across the country.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my internet slow today in Pakistan?
A fault in the SEA-ME-WE 5 (SMW5) international submarine cable is causing disruptions. PTA confirmed on July 2, 2026 that this cable break is making internet speeds slow and patchy for many Pakistani users. Traffic is being diverted through backup cables but those paths are under more load than usual.
What is the SMW5 cable?
SMW5 stands for South East Asia, Middle East, Western Europe 5. It is a 20,000 km undersea fibre-optic cable that connects Singapore to France, passing through Karachi, Pakistan along the way. It is one of Pakistan’s key international internet links and was built with a design capacity of 24 Tbps, later upgraded to 36.6 Tbps.
Is PTA doing anything to fix the problem?
PTA is monitoring the situation closely. Transworld Associates (TWA), which owns Pakistan’s share of the SMW5 cable, is working with the international SMW5 Consortium to find the cause of the fault and set a repair timeline. Emergency rerouting of traffic is already active to reduce the impact on users.
How long will the SMW5 disruption last?
No official restoration time has been given yet. Submarine cable repairs depend on where the break is, how deep the cable sits, and how quickly a cable repair ship can reach the site. Past SMW5 faults have taken anywhere from a few days to several weeks to fully fix. PTA says it will share updates as the situation develops.
