ISLAMABAD

A worsening diesel shortage has begun to cripple Pakistan’s telecom infrastructure, disrupting internet services for an estimated 60 million users nationwide, according to industry sources.

Officials within the telecom sector say that between 30 to 40 per cent of cellular towers have been affected due to the unavailability of diesel, a critical backup power source during outages. As a result, connectivity across large parts of the country has become unstable or completely unavailable.

Pakistan hosts more than 55,000 cellular towers, with around 50,000 of them supporting internet and communication services for nearly 200 million citizens. However, sources indicate that over 20,000 towers are currently either offline or facing severe disruptions due to fuel shortages.

The impact has been particularly severe in areas already prone to electricity outages, where telecom infrastructure relies heavily on diesel generators to maintain operations. With fuel supply chains under strain, companies have struggled to keep towers running, leading to widespread service degradation.

Users across multiple regions have reported slow speeds, dropped connections and prolonged outages, affecting both personal communication and business activities. The disruption is also expected to impact digital services, e-commerce platforms and remote work operations.

Industry experts warn that unless fuel supplies are restored urgently, the situation could deteriorate further, posing a serious challenge to Pakistan’s digital economy and connectivity goals.

The crisis highlights the telecom sector’s dependence on fuel-based backup systems and underscores the need for more sustainable and resilient energy solutions to ensure uninterrupted digital access.