Internet users in Pakistan may experience slow speeds and international connectivity issues over the next 18 hours, as maintenance work begins on one of the country’s major submarine cables.

According to a statement from Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL), the scheduled repair work on a faulty repeater will start around 11 AM (Pakistan Standard Time) on Tuesday. The maintenance is expected to take up to 18 hours, during which users may face service disruptions or delays in accessing international websites.

A PTCL spokesperson apologized for the inconvenience and appreciated users’ patience during this essential repair. The company also mentioned that alternative arrangements have been made to reduce the impact, but users may still face slower browsing and occasional issues reaching some global sites.

Telecom authorities say that services are expected to be fully restored by late Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning after the repair and testing are complete.

Pakistan’s internet connectivity relies heavily on several international submarine cable systems including SEA-ME-WE 4, SEA-ME-WE 5, IMEWE, AAE-1, and PEACE. Any fault or maintenance work on these cables often causes widespread connectivity issues across the country.