ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Information Technology (IT) informed the National Assembly Standing Committee on IT that internet speed across Pakistan has slowed down because several submarine cables were cut off the coast of Yemen.
According to the ministry, telecom companies have diverted internet traffic to alternative routes, but full restoration may take four to five weeks.
During a meeting chaired by MNA Syed Aminul Haque, IT and Telecom Secretary Zarrar Hashim Khan revealed that four to five submarine cables were damaged near Yemen.
“Two of the cables supplying Pakistan have been affected, forcing companies to divert bandwidth. Repairing these cables requires special ships, so the complete process could take up to a month,” he explained.
The committee was briefed that three new submarine cables will become operational within the next 12 to 18 months, directly linking Pakistan with Europe. Agreements for these cables have already been signed.
The meeting was held at the Islamabad IT Park, where members raised concerns about repeated internet disruptions. Committee member Sadiq Memon questioned why such problems continue despite new cables being planned.
The IT secretary stressed that the recent cable cuts had created a serious connectivity crisis for Pakistan.
Update on Islamabad IT Park Project
The committee also received a detailed update on the Islamabad IT Park project. The park is being developed with South Korean funding, based on a $78 million loan given in 2017. The loan has a 10-year grace period and will be repaid over 30 years at a 0.5% concessional rate.
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The IT Park is designed to attract international companies, boost IT exports, and meet global construction standards. Similar projects are also underway in Karachi with Korean assistance.
However, committee members expressed frustration over repeated delays in the project. They directed the ministry to issue a letter of displeasure to the Korean company handling construction.
Representatives of the company blamed heavy rains, the dollar crisis which halted imports for six months, and high taxes and duties for the delays. They said they had repeatedly requested tax exemptions to ease the process.
The project director further disclosed that nine project managers were changed in just 13 months, which also caused setbacks.
When questioned about the completion timeline, the Korean representatives admitted that the park would not be ready by the October 31 deadline, but most of the work would be done by December 31. Full commissioning is now expected by February 2026.
Haque warned that missing the October deadline would result in another letter of displeasure and possible blacklisting of the company. He instructed the ministry to review the situation in early November and take strict action if progress remains unsatisfactory.
