A new undersea internet cable, capable of delivering 24 terabytes of bandwidth, is under installation and expected to significantly enhance internet speed and reliability across Pakistan.
Media reports suggest that the 45,000-kilometer cable is being installed by a French company and will supplement the existing seven cables, which currently provide 8 terabytes of bandwidth.
The cable will connect Pakistan with the African region, addressing long-standing complaints about slow internet speeds.
Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) Chairman Sajjad Mustafa Syed said the cable is not yet operational but is expected to be active next year.
Syed also revealed that four additional major internet lines are in the pipeline, including infrastructure to support 5G, which will address bandwidth congestion and improve fiber connectivity for mobile towers.
“These projects, expected to double capacity next year, will ensure Pakistan’s internet infrastructure meets demands for the next two to five years,” he added.
The government is facing criticism from the tech community, digital rights groups, and freelancers over internet outages, slow speeds, the installation of a national firewall, and disruptions to social media applications.
According to P@SHA chairman, Pakistan’s IT sector was incurring losses of over one million dollars per hour due to frequent internet shutdowns. He explained that for every dollar the government invests in market access, a return of $49 is generated, based on trends over the past three years.
On Sunday, Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Division Syed Sajid Mehdi advised Pakistanis to limit their internet usage to “important matters only” to address ongoing connectivity issues. Speaking on a television program, Mehdi likened internet congestion to traffic jams, attributing slow speeds to overuse and the country’s limited fiber-optic capacity, which he said stands at 15% compared to India’s 45%.
Earlier this month, Minister of State for IT and Telecomm Shaza Fatima Khawaja informed the Senate Standing Committee on IT that Pakistan is in talks with Starlink, a US satellite internet constellation, to bring its services to the country.
