On Saturday night and almost throughout Sunday, WhatsApp users across Pakistan encountered significant issues with sending and receiving media files. The disruption led to a flood of complaints from confused users. This comes just days after the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) warned the government about the potential consequences of internet shutdowns and a possible VPN ban.
According to outage tracking website Downdetector, complaints surged to 207 in just one hour, mostly around 10pm. Of those affected, 67% reported trouble sending messages, especially media files, while 16% struggled to receive them.
The disruptions were most severe in Punjab, though Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also experienced occasional issues. Karachi, in particular, was heavily impacted, as highlighted on Downdetector’s heat map.
Sources in the IT sector confirmed the media-sharing problems, but the exact cause remains unclear. Internet service providers also faced backlash from customers, who were frustrated over the sudden outage but unable to identify the issue.
Although no official explanation has been offered, some users speculated the disruptions could be linked to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest in Islamabad, noting that WhatsApp outages often occur during such events. Officials have previously blamed technical issues or damage to submarine cables for similar disruptions.
On X (formerly Twitter), PTI supporters launched a campaign urging Elon Musk to make Starlink available in Pakistan. The satellite-based internet service, developed by SpaceX, aims to provide affordable internet access in remote areas.