A Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology sub-committee said Monday it was alarmed over widespread internet degradation and fuel theft from telecom sites.
These disruptions threaten the continuity of nationwide communication services, affecting the reliability of digital connectivity for millions of users across Pakistan.
During a meeting in Islamabad, the sub-committee, chaired by Senator Sadia Abbasi, reviewed the challenges facing the country's telecommunications sector. The panel focused on the surge of diesel theft and vandalism targeting critical infrastructure used to maintain cellular networks.
Reports presented to the committee indicate that more than 9,200 incidents of theft and vandalism occurred over the last 11 months [1]. These criminal activities have impacted about 16% of the country’s cellular infrastructure [1].
The degradation of internet services is linked to these physical attacks on infrastructure. The theft of fuel, specifically diesel used for backup power at telecom sites, leads to site failures and reduced service quality.
Senator Abbasi and the committee members said there is a need for better security and oversight to protect these assets. The panel said the scale of the damage contributes directly to the instability of internet services throughout the region.
Officials are now reviewing ways to mitigate these losses and ensure that cellular infrastructure remains resilient against ongoing vandalism.
“More than 9,200 incidents of theft and vandalism occurred over the last 11 months”
The intersection of petty crime, such as diesel theft, and national infrastructure stability highlights a significant security gap in Pakistan's telecom sector. Because 16% of the cellular network has been affected, the resulting internet degradation is not merely a technical failure but a systemic vulnerability to physical vandalism that hinders digital economic growth.
