Users across Pakistan were unable to access various internet services and social media while connected to mobile data on Friday, an issue that has become persistent for several weeks.

Outage tracking website Downdetector confirmed that users were unable to access WhatsApp while connected to mobile data, but voice messages and video files could be sent and viewed through Wi-Fi connections.

The issue was especially profound in major urban centres including Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Karachi.

The telecom regulator, Pakistan Telecomm­unication Authority (PTA), had not issued a statement to confirm. Business Recorder also reached out to Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Digital Media and Minister of State Fahd Haroon, but a response was awaited till the filing of this story.

The disruption in the messaging app as well as other services comes as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf is set to hold a protest in Rawalpindi.

Disruption in internet services have become more frequent in the country. The government has on occasion blamed faulty submarine cables and reconfiguration in internet service providers (ISPs), but many analysts say the disruption is the authorities’ go-to-response on days it needs to beef up state security measures.

For years, Pakistan has relied on the strategy to disrupt services to counter terrorism.

On September 28, Wha­ts­App users across Karachi had faced issues in sending media files through the app while connected to mobile data. The users of the messaging app had reported a similar issue on September 21 as well.

In August, Pakistan also saw severe disruption with internet speeds plummeting and communication services also getting affected.