ISLAMABAD, July 5: Internet traffic will be restored completely in three to four days after removal of the fault in the under-sea fibre optic cable SEA-ME-WE-3, said Information Technology Minister Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari on Tuesday.

“We are expecting the removal of the fault in the next three to four days because the consortium that runs the submarine cable has detected the fault,” Mr Leghari told reporters here at his office.

A two-pronged policy has been approved to meet such challenges in future by adding a new under-sea fibre cable SEA-ME-WE-4 and establishing terrestrial fibre cable links with neighbouring countries.

An agreement for SEA-ME-WE-4 cable at a cost of $40 million had been finalized with a consortium and would commence functioning in October-November this year.

About terrestrial links, Mr Leghari said that a memorandum of understanding with the Indian company “Reliance” had been inked after removing all security concerns in March under which laying of fibre optic till Wagah border would be completed by the end of this month, while Indians would take six weeks to complete from their side. A similar terrestrial link would also be established with Iran soon.

After establishing both under-sea and terrestrial links, internet capacity would be increased much beyond the country’s requirement besides, incidents like submarine cable cut would not affect in future, he observed.

Earlier, during a meeting with a delegation of the Call Centre Association of Pakistan (CCAP), the minister directed the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) to keep in constant contact with the call centre industry and ensure smooth traffic.

PSEB Managing Director Dr Aamir Matin said around $26,666 per day has been lost as a result of slowing down of the call centre business over the past ten days.