Days of heavy rain, landslides, and a prolonged power outage have plunged many parts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) into a communication crisis. Mobile and internet services remain severely disrupted, leaving residents disconnected and daily life at a standstill.
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Urban and rural communities alike are facing weak signals, slow speeds, or total internet blackouts across all major telecom networks. The disruption is hitting small businesses, freelancers, students, and others who depend on digital connectivity for work and education.
“We’ve had no electricity for 36 hours,” said Faizan Ali, an e-commerce seller from Rawalakot. “I can’t charge my phone or respond to customer orders. Once the power goes, mobile signals vanish within hours.”
With many mobile towers relying on backup generators, fuel shortages and blocked roads have made it nearly impossible to keep systems running. As a result, digital connectivity is collapsing in several areas.
The crisis has exposed the fragility of AJK’s infrastructure in the face of extreme weather, which experts warn is becoming more frequent due to climate change.
Residents and professionals are urging telecom operators, power distribution companies, and disaster management authorities to take urgent action. They are calling for immediate restoration of services and long-term strategies to withstand future disruptions.
“There must be a proper plan to deal with situations like this,” stressed Qasim Khan, a university lecturer in Muzaffarabad. “We can’t keep losing work and education every time the weather turns bad.”
As AJK confronts yet another extreme weather challenge, the demand for stronger infrastructure, better disaster preparedness, and more resilient digital networks has never been more urgent.
