(Web Desk Monitoring) — Pakistan’s Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has downplayed ongoing WhatsApp service issues, attributing them to a potential “technical glitch.”

According to the local media reports, on July 20, users across Pakistan reported problems with sending and receiving media files—such as voice notes, photos, and videos—through WhatsApp while using mobile networks. Complaints have highlighted difficulties with media files either taking an excessively long time to download or failing to download altogether, with users encountering messages like: “Couldn’t download document. Try again. If the problem keeps happening, try connecting to Wi-Fi.”

A 2024 report by the World Population Review indicates that Pakistan has 52.3 million WhatsApp users.

The disruptions have continued for many users. Downdetector, a global platform tracking website and application outages, has reported ongoing complaints about WhatsApp issues in Pakistan over the past 24 hours.

Private telecommunications companies in Pakistan have confirmed the issue. A spokesperson for Jazz, the country’s largest mobile network, mentioned that the company has received reports of WhatsApp disruptions and is investigating the matter, reaffirming their commitment to uninterrupted services.

Telenor Pakistan also reported receiving complaints about WhatsApp’s quality over the weekend. However, the company’s representative stated that no issues were found on their network and suggested that any potential problem might be on WhatsApp’s end.

Zong Pakistan noted difficulties in identifying the exact issue and chose not to comment further.

Malahat Obaid, spokesperson for the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), dismissed current issues with WhatsApp or other social media apps, attributing the problems to a possible technical glitch without further explanation.

Bytes for All Pakistan, a human rights organization focused on digital rights, is still investigating the alleged outage and plans to release a report soon.

Usama Khilji, director of Bolo Bhi, an advocacy forum for digital rights in Pakistan, suggested the disruptions might be related to a government-installed firewall aimed at increasing control over internet and communication technologies. Khilji posited that the firewall could be used to block content and suppress dissent, with WhatsApp potentially targeted due to its role in sharing evidence of electoral rigging and state violations. He criticized the lack of transparency surrounding the firewall as “criminal.”