Photo: Robert Ashworth / Wikimedia Commons ↗, CC BY 2.0 ↗
ISLAMABAD, September 28, 2026 — A cut optical fibre cable disrupted mobile data and Wi-Fi in parts of Islamabad and Rawalpindi on Sunday, September 27, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) said. Users reported trouble reaching Easypaisa, JazzCash and other banking apps while the connection was down. PTA later said services in the twin cities were fully restored. It described a cable fault, not a shutdown.
What happened
PTA said an optical fibre cable was cut on one telecom operator’s network, which caused “partial disruption” for some other service providers too. It said the disruption was limited to “some local and surrounding areas”, that some areas in the north were also affected, and that internet in the central and southern parts of the country worked normally. PTA did not name the operator.
IT minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja wrote on X that there was a “dual Fiber cut in general area Taxila/GujarKhan, impacting services in Pindi/Islamabad”. In the same post she said one site had been repaired “with most services restored” while the second repair was under way.
Urdu News reported that the internet went down at about 9:00 AM PKT and began to return in parts of the twin cities after roughly three hours. PTA later said internet services in Islamabad and Rawalpindi were fully restored, with mobile data and Wi-Fi working normally.
| Item | What was said | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Cause | Optical fibre cable cut on one operator’s network | PTA |
| Where the cable was cut | Two sites in the Taxila and Gujar Khan area | Shaza Fatima Khawaja on X |
| Areas hit | Parts of Islamabad, Rawalpindi and surrounding areas; some northern areas | PTA |
| Services hit | Mobile data and Wi-Fi | PTA |
| Wallet and banking apps | Users reported trouble reaching Easypaisa and JazzCash | TechJuice, 24NewsHD |
| Status | Fully restored later on Sunday | PTA, as reported by Dunya News and Hum News |
Source: The Express Tribune ↗, Dunya News ↗, Urdu News ↗ · checked 2026-09-28
What the wallets said
We found no statement from Easypaisa or JazzCash about the disruption as of September 28, 2026. The reports of app problems come from users, as carried by TechJuice and 24NewsHD; neither company has said whether its own systems were affected or only its customers’ internet connections.
What changed
- Before: On Sunday morning, mobile data and Wi-Fi were partly down in Islamabad, Rawalpindi and nearby areas, and users reported trouble reaching wallet and banking apps.
- Now: PTA says internet services in the twin cities are fully restored.
- Effective: Restored later on September 27, 2026, according to PTA.
What this means for you If mobile data fails again, Easypaisa says you can use your account “without the app” by dialling
*786#on Telenor or*2262#on Jazz, Zong and Ufone. JazzCash’s USSD code is*786#. See Easypaisa codes and JazzCash codes.
