A theft incident at a PTCL mini exchange near Punjab Assembly in Lahore led to a temporary shutdown of telephone and internet services, disrupting connectivity for thousands of businesses in the surrounding area. The mini exchange, located in the parking lot of the Alfalah Building, lost functionality after backup batteries were removed, leaving the system without power when the main electricity supply went out.
The disruption came to light on Wednesday morning when the primary power supply failed and the exchange was unable to switch to backup due to the missing batteries. Following multiple complaints from affected users, a technical team from Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited visited the site to assess the issue. Upon inspection, officials found the battery compartment damaged and the backup units missing. As a result, both voice and internet services were suspended within an approximate half kilometer radius until around 4 pm, impacting commercial and institutional users in one of Lahore’s key administrative zones.
Among the affected entities were Punjab Assembly, Daily Business Recorder, Aaj TV, and numerous private offices and retail outlets operating in and around the Alfalah Building. Business owners reported significant operational challenges, particularly in processing digital transactions. With internet connectivity unavailable for several hours, many establishments were unable to facilitate debit card payments and other online payment methods, resulting in service delays and financial inconvenience. Arshad Mahmood, a long time shopkeeper in the building, stated that he had never witnessed such an incident in his decades of business activity in the area and highlighted the absence of CCTV cameras near the mini exchange, which complicates efforts to identify those responsible.
The incident underscores the vulnerability of telecom infrastructure to physical security lapses, especially in high density commercial and administrative zones. The temporary outage not only disrupted routine communication but also exposed the dependence of modern businesses on uninterrupted internet connectivity for daily operations. Restoration efforts were completed later in the day, but the event has raised concerns among local businesses regarding infrastructure protection and service continuity in critical urban areas.
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