Islamabad: Major social media platforms, including Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and WhatsApp face widespread disruptions across Pakistan on Thursday afternoon, leaving millions of users unable to access or share content. The outage, which began around midday, affected multiple cities including Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.
Downdetector an internet disruption monitor shows glitches in major Social Media Apps running accross Pakistan, the data is verifiable since it is based on the complaints recieved by the platform from users accross the world.
Along with Downdetector certain other network monitoring groups report that users experienced either complete inaccessibility or significant slowdowns on popular apps and websites. Internet service providers did not immediately issue any statements regarding the cause, while the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has yet to comment on the disruption.
Meanwhile, officials restored some access in the evening, though many users still face unstable connectivity. Traditionally, observers notice that outages occur during periods of heightened political activity and public gatherings, which often leads them to suspect that authorities impose access restrictions as a preventive measure. However, this time, that does not appear to be the case.
In recent months, Pakistan has witnessed several instances of nationwide internet slowdowns during political events or protests, raising concerns among digital rights advocates about freedom of expression and the country’s growing reliance on online communication.
As connectivity continues to fluctuate, authorities have not provided a clear explanation for the latest disruption, leaving citizens and businesses struggling with intermittent access to essential digital services.
