Pakistan endured its worst year for internet connectivity in 2025, as the country experienced 68 internet outages that collectively disrupted online access for an unprecedented length of time, industry sources told The Asian Mirror.
Nearly 38 Days of Internet Disruptions
According to sources, internet services across Pakistan remained affected for approximately 900 hours, equivalent to nearly 38 days, throughout the year. The prolonged disruptions caused widespread inconvenience for businesses, students, freelancers, and everyday users nationwide.
Regulatory Restrictions and Backbone Failures Blamed
Industry insiders attributed the frequent outages primarily to regulatory restrictions and technical failures within upstream internet infrastructure. Key issues included problems with network backbone systems and repeated faults in submarine cables, which play a critical role in international data connectivity.
March 2025 Marked the Longest Single Disruption
The most severe internet slowdown was recorded in March 2025, when regulatory measures resulted in significantly reduced internet speeds across the country. This disruption continued for nearly 13 days, making it the longest single connectivity issue reported during the year.
Submarine Cable Faults Hit Connectivity in September
Another major setback occurred in September 2025, when submarine cable faults caused widespread internet issues for about one week, further highlighting Pakistan’s vulnerability to international infrastructure failures.
Recent Nationwide Outage Affected Major ISPs
Most recently, over the past weekend, major internet service providers (ISPs) faced a day-long nationwide outage, once again interrupting connectivity and raising concerns over the stability and resilience of the country’s internet infrastructure.
Growing Concerns Over Digital Reliability
The repeated outages have intensified concerns among tech experts and industry stakeholders, who warn that ongoing connectivity issues could negatively impact Pakistan’s digital economy, IT exports, and freelance workforce if long-term solutions are not implemented.
