PTA Monitors Internet Disruption Due to SEA-ME-WE 5 Cable Fault

Pakistan’s Telecommunication Authority (PTA) announced on Thursday that it is closely monitoring internet traffic disruption caused by a fault in the SEA-ME-WE 5 (SMW5) international submarine cable system. Internet users might experience “intermittent degradation” in service quality and connectivity, according to the authority.

Trans World Associates (TWA) is coordinating with the SMW5 Consortium to identify the root cause of the fault and determine the estimated time for restoration (ETTR). 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. PTA remains in close coordination with concerned stakeholders and will continue monitoring the situation to facilitate the earliest possible restoration of normal internet services across the country.

In a separate statement earlier today, the PTA announced it was upgrading its Device Identification, Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS) to better serve both the general public and commercial entities. The upgraded system will simplify the device registration process for all users. Due to this scheduled upgrade, the DIRBS portal (dirbs.pta.gov.pk) and all related services will be temporarily unavailable from July 3, 2026, at 5:00 pm until July 6, 2026, at 4:00 am.