It’s 9 PM on a Wednesday. My sister is in the middle of an online class. My brother is trying to submit an assignment. I’m on a Zoom call with a client. Suddenly everything freezes. “Buffering…” The call drops. The assignment won’t upload. My sister’s class screen goes black.
“Phir se!” everyone shouts at the same time. Sound familiar? If you’ve ever screamed “Why internet is slow in Pakistan today” at your router, you’re reading the right article.
Let me tell you the actual reasons why internet is slow in Pakistan today not the corporate excuses your ISP gives you, but the real, honest truth that affects millions of us every single day.
The Cable Under the Ocean (Yes, Really)
Here’s something most people don’t know when they ask why internet is slow in Pakistan today: your internet doesn’t actually come from Pakistan. Confused? Let me explain.
Most of Pakistan’s internet comes through massive underwater cables lying deep in the ocean. These are called submarine cables. They’re thick fiber optic cables running thousands of kilometers under the sea, connecting Pakistan to the rest of the world.
Pakistan uses several of these cables:NZ
- SEA-ME-WE 4 and 5 (connects us to Southeast Asia, Middle East, and Europe)
- AAE-1 (Asia-Africa-Europe)
- IMEWE (India-Middle East-Western Europe)
- Others being added in 2026
Here’s the problem
These cables break. Like, a lot.
Real example from January 2026
On January 1st, internet across Pakistan slowed down massively for two whole days. Why? A submarine cable fault near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. One cable. The whole country suffered.
Then on January 15, 2026, planned maintenance on another cable caused slowdowns from 2 PM for 8 hours. ISPs like Nayatel warned everyone in advance, but people still freaked out wondering why internet is slow in Pakistan today.
My friend works in IT. He explained: “Imagine all of Pakistan’s internet flowing through 7-8 big pipes under the ocean. If even one pipe gets damaged, millions of people feel it instantly.”
How do these cables break?
- Ships accidentally cut them with anchors
- Underwater earthquakes damage them
- Sometimes they just wear out and need repairs
- Maintenance work requires shutting them down temporarily
When any of this happens, the most common question across Pakistan becomes: why internet is slow in Pakistan today? The frustrating part? Fixing these cables takes time.
Ships need to locate the exact fault (sometimes 3-4 kilometers deep underwater), pull up the damaged section, repair or replace it, and then put it back. This can take anywhere from hours to weeks.
Recent history
In September 2025, cables near Yemen were damaged. The IT Ministry told Parliament it would take 4-5 weeks to fix. Four to five weeks! During that time, internet speeds dropped nationwide.
So next time someone asks why internet is slow in Pakistan today, there’s a good chance it’s because of something happening thousands of kilometers away, deep under the ocean.
Too Many People, Not Enough Internet
Let me ask you something: when did you first get internet at home? For me, it was 2010. My whole family shared one 1 Mbps connection. Only my father used it, mostly for emails. That was enough. Today? My household has 50 Mbps, and it still feels slow sometimes.
Why? Because in 2010, maybe 10-15 million Pakistanis used internet. In 2026, over 130 million people have internet access. Think about that. In just 16 years, internet users multiplied by 10 times.
Here’s what that means
Everyone is streaming Netflix, watching YouTube, playing PUBG, doing Zoom calls, scrolling TikTok, uploading Instagram stories all at the same time. The infrastructure wasn’t built for this explosion of users. It’s like building a road for 100 cars, but then 1,000 cars start using it daily. Of course there’s traffic.
This is especially true during “peak hours” usually 7 PM to midnight when everyone’s home from work and school. I notice this every single day. Internet works fine at 2 PM. By 9 PM, YouTube takes forever to load. That’s not a coincidence. That’s why internet is slow in Pakistan today for millions of users during evening hours.
Mobile internet is even worse
According to PTA (Pakistan Telecommunication Authority), over 125 million broadband users exist in Pakistan as of 2026. Most of them use mobile data, not home internet.
All those people trying to use 3G/4G networks at the same time? The mobile towers can’t handle it, especially in densely populated areas like Saddar Karachi, Anarkali Lahore, or Raja Bazaar Rawalpindi.
My cousin lives in a crowded area of Faisalabad. He says his mobile internet is perfect at 6 AM. By evening, it’s basically useless. Everyone in the neighborhood is online, and the tower is overwhelmed.
This capacity crunch is a huge reason why internet is slow in Pakistan today, and it won’t get better until companies invest billions in upgrading infrastructure.
Old Equipment Running a Modern Internet
Imagine trying to run today’s advanced apps and websites on a computer from 2005. It would be painfully slow, right? That’s basically what’s happening with internet infrastructure in Pakistan. Many areas are still running on ancient equipment.
The copper wire problem
In 2026, many neighborhoods especially smaller cities and towns still get internet through old copper telephone lines. These are the same wires installed decades ago for landline phones.
Copper wires are terrible for internet. They lose speed over distance, they’re affected by weather, and they can’t handle modern bandwidth needs. Fiber optic cables are what we need they’re fast, stable, don’t lose speed over distance. But installing fiber costs money, and many internet providers haven’t done it yet.
My uncle lives in Gujrat. He’s been asking PTCL for fiber for three years. Still waiting. Meanwhile, he’s stuck with slow copper line internet that barely works.
If you’re in a major city, you might have fiber from companies like Nayatel, StormFiber, or Optix. But if you’re in a smaller town? You’re probably still on copper, wondering why internet is slow in Pakistan today when the ad promised “high speed.”
Old routers and modems
Sometimes the problem isn’t your ISP. It’s your own equipment.
I was complaining about slow internet last year. Blaming PTCL. My friend who works in networking came over, looked at my router, and said: “Bro, this is from 2015. It can’t even handle speeds above 30 Mbps. You’re paying for 50 Mbps and your router is capping it.”
I bought a new router for 8,000 rupees. Suddenly internet was much faster. Same connection. Better equipment.
This is something many people don’t realize when they wonder why internet is slow in Pakistan today sometimes it’s the 10-year-old router struggling to keep up.
Load Shedding: The Silent Internet Killer
Let’s talk about something uniquely Pakistani: load shedding affecting your internet. Here’s how it works. Your internet comes through equipment exchanges, towers, fiber nodes. All this equipment needs electricity.
When power goes out in your neighborhood, sometimes the backup generators at these exchanges also fail or don’t exist at all. Result? No internet, even if your house has UPS and your router is running.
This happens constantly in smaller cities and rural areas. My friend’s family in interior Sindh gets 6-8 hours of load shedding daily. Their internet company’s local exchange has no generator backup. So for those 6-8 hours, internet is dead. Even with a generator at home, they can’t use internet.
Understanding why internet is slow in Pakistan today also means understanding our chronic electricity problems. They’re connected.
Voltage fluctuations
Even when there’s no load shedding, unstable voltage damages equipment.
Your router, your ONT (if you have fiber), your Wi-Fi extenders all this gets damaged by voltage spikes and drops. Once damaged, they work poorly and slow everything down.
I’ve replaced my router twice in three years because of voltage issues. Each time, before replacement, I spent weeks frustrated about slow internet, not realizing my router was fried from a voltage spike.
This is a hidden answer to why internet is slow in Pakistan today electrical infrastructure problems indirectly breaking internet equipment.
Your ISP Is Cheap (Or Scamming You)
Let’s be brutally honest. Some internet companies in Pakistan are just bad. They oversell their capacity. What does that mean? Imagine a bus with 50 seats. The company sells 80 tickets, hoping not everyone shows up at the same time. When everyone does show up, it’s chaos.
ISPs do the same. They sell high-speed packages to thousands of customers, but they don’t have enough bandwidth to actually deliver those speeds to everyone simultaneously.
During low usage times (morning, afternoon), you get decent speed. During evening peak hours, everyone’s online, and the ISP’s network chokes. Your promised 20 Mbps drops to 5 Mbps or less. This is called “bandwidth throttling” or “over-subscription,” and it’s a major reason why internet is slow in Pakistan today for many users.
Cheap packages, cheap service
Companies offering suspiciously cheap packages are usually cutting corners somewhere. Maybe they’re using old equipment. Maybe they’re overselling. Maybe they have terrible customer service and don’t fix problems quickly.
My neighbor switched to a cheap local ISP offering “unlimited 50 Mbps” for 2,000 rupees monthly. Sounded amazing. Reality? Internet worked fine for the first month (promotional period), then slowed to a crawl. Customer service never answered calls. He’s stuck in a contract.
Meanwhile, my Nayatel connection costs 3,500 rupees for 30 Mbps, but it’s consistent. Almost never goes down. Customer service actually responds.
You get what you pay for. If you’re constantly asking why internet is slow in Pakistan today and you’re on a dirt-cheap package, that might be your answer.
Weather Actually Matters
I used to think “weather affecting internet” was a myth. Then I experienced monsoon season with poor internet. Here’s the reality: weather absolutely affects internet, especially certain types.
Rain and humidity
If you’re using copper line internet (PTCL DSL in most areas), rain can degrade your connection. Water gets into junction boxes, oxidizes connections, increases signal loss. Mobile towers are also affected. Heavy rain can interfere with signals. Not drastically, but noticeably.
I remember last monsoon season. Every time it rained heavily in Lahore, my friend’s PTCL connection would slow down or disconnect. Clear weather? Internet worked fine again.
Dust storms
In Karachi, Hyderabad, interior Sindh and Balochistan, dust storms can damage exposed cables and equipment. Dust gets into junction boxes, causes short circuits, makes maintenance harder.
Extreme heat
Equipment overheats, especially mobile towers standing in direct sun all day. Overheated equipment performs poorly or shuts down temporarily.
This is why, sometimes, why internet is slow in Pakistan today is answered simply by looking outside your window. Is it raining heavily? Is there a dust storm? That might be affecting your connection.
Fiber is better
Fiber optic cables are less affected by weather since they’re often underground or properly sealed. But equipment at both ends (your ONT, the ISP’s exchange) still needs protection from weather and power issues.
Wi-Fi Problems (That You Can Actually Fix)
Sometimes why internet is slow in Pakistan today has nothing to do with ISPs, cables, or national infrastructure. Sometimes it’s just… your Wi-Fi setup sucks.
Let me share mistakes I see everyone making:
Router placement
Where’s your router right now? If it’s:
- In a corner
- Behind furniture
- Inside a cupboard
- In a room far from where you work
Then you’re killing your own internet speed. Wi-Fi signals are like light. They spread out from the router in all directions, but walls, furniture, and distance weaken them massively.
My friend complained about slow Wi-Fi for months. His router was in his bedroom, inside a metal cupboard, on the floor. He works in the living room, two walls away.
I told him: move the router to a central location, up high, in the open. He did. His Wi-Fi speed literally doubled without changing anything else.
Too many devices
How many devices are connected to your Wi-Fi right now? In my house: 3 phones, 2 laptops, 1 tablet, 2 Smart TVs, 1 PlayStation, security cameras. That’s 10+ devices sharing one connection.
Old routers can’t handle this many devices simultaneously. They get confused, slow down, disconnect randomly. If you’re wondering why internet is slow in Pakistan today and you have 15 family members all streaming on one old router, that’s your problem.
Solution: Buy a modern dual-band or tri-band router that can handle multiple devices. Costs 8,000-15,000 rupees but makes a huge difference.
Neighbors stealing Wi-Fi
If your Wi-Fi password is “123456” or your network name, change it. Now. Neighbors might be connected to your Wi-Fi without you knowing. They’re using your bandwidth, slowing your internet, and you’re paying for it.
Use a strong password. WPA2 or WPA3 security. Check your router settings to see how many devices are connected. Kick out the unknown ones.
Wrong Wi-Fi channel
This is technical but simple: Wi-Fi works on different channels (like radio frequencies). If all your neighbors are on the same channel, everyone’s Wi-Fi interferes with each other.
Download a Wi-Fi analyzer app. Check which channel is least crowded in your area. Switch your router to that channel. I did this in my DHA Lahore apartment building where 50+ routers were all on Channel 6. Switched to Channel 11. Instant speed improvement.
These might seem small, but fixing your home Wi-Fi setup can solve why internet is slow in Pakistan today for you personally, even if the national infrastructure sucks.
Government Blocks and Throttling
Let’s talk about something controversial but real: Sometimes why internet is slow in Pakistan today is because someone decided to slow it down deliberately.
Social media throttling
Throughout 2024-2025, Pakistanis experienced throttled access to Twitter/X, sometimes YouTube, sometimes Facebook. Downloads that normally take seconds would take minutes.
This isn’t a conspiracy theory. IT professionals confirmed it. VPN usage skyrocketed because people needed to bypass the throttling. While writing this in January 2026, Twitter/X remains blocked or heavily throttled for many users.
When platforms are throttled, overall internet feels slow because your connection is being artificially limited.
“Security related” slowdowns:
During sensitive events (political rallies, protests, certain holidays), mobile internet is sometimes slowed or shut down in specific cities. Karachi, for example, had temporary mobile internet restrictions in certain areas during Muharram processions in 2025 for “security reasons.”
When this happens, millions of people simultaneously wonder why internet is slow in Pakistan today, not realizing it’s an intentional government decision. I’m not making political commentary here. Just stating facts: Sometimes internet is slow because authorities want it slow.
What You Can Actually Do About It
After understanding all the reasons why internet is slow in Pakistan today, what can you actually control? Let me give you practical solutions:
1. Restart your router daily
Sounds stupid. Works brilliantly. Routers accumulate errors, memory leaks, connection issues. Restarting clears everything. I set my router to auto-restart at 4 AM daily. Haven’t had random slowdowns since.
2. Switch to fiber if available
If Nayatel, StormFiber, Optix, or any fiber provider operates in your area, seriously consider switching from PTCL copper lines. Fiber is faster, more stable, less affected by weather, and often has better customer service. Yes, it costs more. But if internet is critical for your work or studies, it’s worth it.
3. Use Ethernet for important tasks
Wi-Fi is convenient. Ethernet is reliable. For video calls, online exams, important uploads, connect directly to your router with a cable. Your speed and stability will improve immediately. I keep a 5-meter Ethernet cable at my desk specifically for Zoom calls. Never had a dropped call since.
4. Upgrade your router
If your router is older than 3-4 years, it’s probably limiting your speed. Modern routers handle multiple devices better, have better range, support faster speeds. Spend 10,000-15,000 rupees on a good router. It’s a one time investment that significantly improves your daily internet experience.
5. Monitor your usage
Check which apps/devices are eating your bandwidth. If your brother is downloading 50GB games while you’re trying to attend class, of course things are slow. Most modern routers let you see which devices are using how much data. Use that to identify bandwidth hogs.
6. Avoid peak hours when possible
If you need to download large files or stream 4K videos, do it during off-peak hours (early morning or afternoon). Peak hours (7 PM – midnight) will always be slower because everyone’s online.
7. Keep backups of important work
This won’t fix slow internet, but it’ll save your life. If you’re submitting an assignment or uploading important files, do it well before deadline. Internet might fail at the worst time. My sister’s entire class learned this the hard way during final exams when internet died 10 minutes before submission deadline.
8. Have a backup connection
If internet is critical for your work, consider having two connections. Maybe home fiber + mobile hotspot as backup. Or two different ISPs. My freelancer friend has Nayatel at home and a dedicated Jazz 4G device as backup. When one fails, he switches to the other. Never loses work.
9. Use the right DNS
This is technical but easy: Your ISP’s DNS servers might be slow. Switching to Google DNS (8.8.8.8) or Cloudflare DNS (1.1.1.1) can improve browsing speed. Google how to change DNS on your specific router. Takes 5 minutes. Can make noticeable difference.
10. Call your ISP (seriously)
If internet is consistently slow, don’t suffer silently. Call your ISP. Sometimes there’s a local fault they don’t know about until customers report it. Sometimes they can boost your line. Sometimes you can negotiate a better package.
Document everything. Note dates, times, speed test results. If ISP isn’t fixing issues, file complaint with PTA. They do respond to complaints.
The Future: Will It Get Better?
Understanding why internet is slow in Pakistan today also means asking: will things improve?
Honest answer: Slowly, yes.
Good news in 2026
New submarine cables coming
The government announced 3 new submarine cables will connect Pakistan to global internet by late 2026 and through 2027. More cables = more redundancy = less nationwide outages when one fails.
5G rollout beginning
Pakistan is finally starting 5G trials in major cities. Jazz and other companies are testing 5G which should eventually mean faster mobile internet.
Fiber expansion
Companies like Nayatel, StormFiber, and others are expanding to new areas. More competition = better service + lower prices.
Better awareness
More people understand internet issues now. Public pressure is forcing companies and government to invest in infrastructure.
The bad news
Infrastructure takes years and billions of rupees to build. Population is growing faster than infrastructure. Political instability affects long-term planning. So while things are improving, they’re improving slowly.
In the meantime, every few weeks, someone will ask why internet is slow in Pakistan today, and the answer will still be: submarine cable fault, or too many users, or old equipment, or load shedding, or throttling, or a combination of everything.
Conclusion
Let me be straight with you. Internet in Pakistan is frustrating. It’s slow. It’s unreliable. It fails at the worst times. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve screamed at my router, refreshed pages endlessly, or submitted assignments at literally the last second because internet was crawling.
But we’re not helpless. Now you know why internet is slow in Pakistan today the real reasons, not corporate PR garbage. You understand submarine cables, capacity issues, old infrastructure, ISP problems, and Wi-Fi mistakes.
Some of these you can’t control. Submarine cables will keep breaking. Companies will keep overselling. Load shedding will keep happening. But some you CAN control. Fix your router placement. Upgrade old equipment. Choose better ISPs. Use Ethernet when it matters. Plan around peak hours.
Pakistan’s internet won’t transform overnight. But person by person, household by household, we can make our own experiences better while pushing for larger infrastructure improvements.
Next time your internet dies during an important video call, at least you’ll know why. And knowing why is the first step to finding solutions. So no, I can’t fix Pakistan’s submarine cables. But I can restart my router, position it better, upgrade when needed, and choose reliable ISPs.
That’s honestly the best we can do right now. Until fiber reaches every neighborhood, until we have 20 submarine cables instead of 7, until mobile towers are upgraded everywhere, until load shedding ends…
We adapt. We complain (because we have every right to). But we also take control of what we can. That’s my honest answer to why internet is slow in Pakistan today, and what you can actually do about it. May your internet be fast, your signals be strong, and your video calls not freeze during important moments.
FAQs
Q1: Why is internet slow in Pakistan today specifically?
Check for submarine cable faults (announced by PTCL/PTA), planned maintenance, or local exchange issues in your area through your ISP’s website or helpline.
Q2: Does rain really affect internet speed in Pakistan?
Yes, especially copper line (PTCL DSL) connections and mobile signals; fiber connections are less affected by weather but equipment can still be impacted.
Q3: Which internet provider is fastest in Pakistan?
Nayatel, StormFiber, and Optix generally offer fastest speeds in areas they cover; PTCL fiber is improving; avoid PTCL copper lines if alternatives exist.
Q4: Why is my internet slower at night?
Peak usage hours (7 PM-midnight) when millions of users are online simultaneously strain network capacity, especially if ISP oversells their bandwidth.
Q5: Can VPN make my internet faster?
No, VPNs usually slow internet slightly; they might bypass ISP throttling on specific platforms but don’t increase actual connection speed.
Q6: How can I check if my ISP is throttling my speed?
Run speed tests at different times of day; if speed drops significantly only during peak hours on specific platforms, throttling might be occurring.
Q7: Should I restart my router every day?
Yes, daily router restarts clear accumulated errors and can improve stability; set automatic restart at a time when internet isn’t being used.
Q8: Why do submarine cable cuts affect Pakistan so much?
Pakistan relies on only 7-8 submarine cables for all international internet; damage to even one cable reduces available bandwidth for 220 million people.
Q9: Is 4G faster than home internet in Pakistan?
Depends on location; in well covered urban areas with good towers, 4G can be faster than old PTCL copper lines but slower than fiber connections.
Q10: When will Pakistan’s internet improve permanently?
Government expects new submarine cables by late 2026-2027, 5G rollout through 2026-2028, but comprehensive nationwide improvement will take several years and significant investment.
