ISLAMABAD: The Pak­istan Telecom­mun­ic­ation Authority (PTA) said on Thursday it was closely monitoring internet traffic disruptions caused by a fault in the SEA-ME-WE 5 (SMW5) international submarine cable system, which was likely to cause intermittent degradation in service quality and connectivity.

The telecom authority said that Transworld Ass­ociates (TWA) is coordinating with the SMW5 consortium to “identify the root cause of the fault” and determine the estimated time for restoration.

According to its website, TWA is the only private-sector operator with exclusive ownership of submarine fibre-optic cable systems.

“In the meantime, internet traffic is being rerouted through alternative international links to minimise the impact and ensure service continuity to the greatest extent possible,” the statement said.

The PTA said it remains in close coordination with the relevant stakeholders.

Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2026