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By Sabeeh Zanair :
Pakistan is facing a widespread connectivity crisis as fuel shortages disrupt mobile network infrastructure, leaving tens of millions of users struggling with unreliable internet and call services.
Industry sources say between 30 and 40 percent of the country’s cellular towers have been affected due to a lack of diesel, the primary backup power source for telecom infrastructure. This translates to more than 20,000 towers either shut down or operating at reduced capacity, impacting an estimated 60 million subscribers.
Pakistan’s telecom network relies on over 55,000 towers to serve nearly 200 million users. While these towers are connected to the national electricity grid, frequent power outages mean operators depend heavily on diesel generators to maintain uninterrupted service. When diesel becomes scarce or prohibitively expensive, towers without grid power are forced offline, cutting off connectivity for entire مناطق.
The current disruption has exposed a long-standing weakness in Pakistan’s digital infrastructure. With load shedding still common in many parts of the country, especially in rural and semi-urban areas, the reliance on diesel as a fallback has become a critical vulnerability.
The situation has been exacerbated by rising global fuel prices linked to tensions involving the United States and Iran. The resulting spike in energy costs has made diesel significantly more expensive, placing additional strain on telecom operators already grappling with financial and supply chain challenges.
While fuel-related disruptions to telecom services are not new, the scale of the current crisis is unprecedented. Analysts say the simultaneous impact on thousands of towers has pushed the issue beyond routine service degradation into what could be considered a national connectivity emergency.
The outage is also raising broader concerns about Pakistan’s digital ambitions. The government has been promoting initiatives to expand broadband access and prepare for next-generation technologies, but experts warn that such plans may be undermined if the underlying infrastructure remains dependent on volatile fuel supplies.
There have been repeated calls within the industry to transition towards alternative energy solutions, such as solar-powered or hybrid systems, to reduce reliance on diesel. However, progress has been slow, with cost, policy and implementation challenges delaying large-scale adoption.
Experts say the current crisis could serve as a turning point, highlighting the urgent need for more resilient and sustainable energy solutions for telecom infrastructure. Without such changes, they warn, future global energy shocks could once again translate into widespread communication disruptions, affecting not only individual users but also businesses and essential services that rely on stable connectivity.
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