PTA downplays Whatsapp disruptions, attributes it to ‘technical glitch’

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has downplayed recent WhatsApp service concerns, citing a possible “technical glitch.”


Beginning on July 20, a large number of users in Pakistan experienced issues sending and receiving media items, including as voice notes, photographs, and videos, via the popular messaging app while utilizing mobile networks.

Complaints included delays or problems when downloading media files, and some users received error messages from WhatsApp.

Downdetector, a global network that monitors issues with websites and online applications, has received reports of WhatsApp outages in Pakistan for the previous 24 hours.

Representatives from two telecom operators acknowledged the situation while speaking with a local private news program, but indicated that they had no problems.

Malahat Obaid, a spokesperson for the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), denied any concerns with WhatsApp or other social media apps, blaming any disruptions on a technical glitch. She did not comment on the reason of the problem.

Meanwhile, Usama Khilji, director of Bolo Bhi, a digital rights advocacy forum in Pakistan, speculated that the outages could be linked to the installation of a government firewall aimed at increasing control over internet and communication technologies.

Khilji called the lack of transparency surrounding the firewall system “criminal.”

The PTA and telecoms firms are still investigating the problem to guarantee that users’ services remain uninterrupted.


According to the World Population Review, Pakistan has 52.3 million WhatsApp users.