Meta services in Pakistan to slow down for 36 hours, says PTCL

Internet users across Pakistan should expect a sluggish experience on Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and other Meta-owned platforms, after the Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) announced a planned 36-hour maintenance window beginning early December 11. According to an advisory circulated to customers and widely reported by Dawn and other local outlets, the telecom giant said Meta services “may experience slow performance” from 1 a.m. on Thursday until 1 p.m. Friday.

PTCL described the routine as backend maintenance intended to “enhance service reliability and long-term efficiency.” The company said the temporary disruption may cause delays in messages, slow loading of feeds and reduced media-sharing performance -  a potential headache for millions of Pakistanis who rely on Meta apps for business, communication and daily life.

However, what raised eyebrows was the absence of any official word from Meta itself. According to reports citing Dawn, Meta typically issues its own platform-wide maintenance advisories rather than relying on local providers to pass on the message. This has led to speculation among users, particularly as the region has previously witnessed platform throttling tied to security or political events.

Bloom Pakistan, in a parallel report, noted that while PTCL’s notice appears legitimate, Meta’s AI tool previously cautioned users about phishing-style alerts disguised as service disruptions. The advisory urged users to verify such announcements via Meta’s official status page, which, as of the latest check, had not posted any alert matching PTCL’s timeline.

For businesses, especially SMEs operating customer support and sales through WhatsApp and Instagram, the expected slowdown may disrupt promotional campaigns or delay client responses. Analysts say even minor lags can dent outreach activities during peak hours, making the maintenance window poorly timed.

Despite the confusion, PTCL insists the disruption will lift by Friday afternoon and emphasizes that the upgrades are intended to ultimately strengthen users’ experience in Pakistan.

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