Internet restoration is now underway in phases across Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), after the AJK government formally requested the federal Ministry of Interior to resume connectivity in the region. The phased restoration covers DSL and 3G/4G services in selected areas, while access in some districts will remain restricted to educational institutions and banks.
The AJK Home Department issued the phased restoration directive on August 30, with implementation beginning on August 31. The plan reflects a cautious, district-by-district approach that balances restoring everyday connectivity with maintaining oversight of the networks being switched back on.
How Internet Restoration Is Being Rolled Out Across AJK
In Muzaffarabad Division, DSL and 3G/4G services have started being restored in different areas. In Muzaffarabad district itself, however, DSL connectivity will remain available only to educational institutions and banks. Limited DSL services will also be restored for educational institutions and banks in Bagh city and Dhirkot.
In Haveli Kahuta, both DSL and 3G/4G internet services will be restored for general use. In Mirpur and Bhimber, DSL internet services will be available across the entire districts. In Kotli, DSL connectivity will be restored for educational institutions and banks, while services will not be restored in Sensa, Sarsawa, Baloch and Tattapani. Internet services will remain unavailable for the time being in Rawalakot and Sudhnoti, and the restoration framework also allows for connectivity in selected areas of other districts, subject to conditions set by the AJK Home Department.
Conditions Attached to Restored Connectivity
Heads of educational institutions and officials responsible for bank branches eligible for restored connectivity have been directed to submit affidavits confirming that the internet connections will not be used in a manner contrary to state interests, national security or public order. The AJK Home Department has also directed relevant authorities to provide DSL and GPON connection details for whitelisting and monitoring.
The staggered approach underscores how sensitive the connectivity issue remains in the region, with authorities prioritizing institutions such as schools and banks before extending access more broadly. For residents and businesses that have faced extended outages, even partial restoration is likely to ease day-to-day disruptions, from online banking and remote learning to routine communication.
Officials have not given a specific timeline for when full internet access will resume in districts such as Rawalakot and Sudhnoti, where services remain suspended. As the situation evolves, further updates on the restoration schedule are expected from the AJK Home Department in the coming days. The disruption has drawn attention from telecom analysts, who note that repeated internet suspensions in AJK carry real costs for businesses relying on digital payments, e-commerce and remote work, in addition to the strain placed on students attending online classes. A predictable, transparent restoration timetable, they argue, would help residents and institutions plan around outages rather than being caught off guard by abrupt shutdowns or piecemeal restorations.
For now, residents in areas with restored DSL and mobile broadband are being advised to expect continued monitoring of network usage, in line with the affidavits required from eligible institutions, even as the broader connectivity picture across AJK gradually improves. The Ministry of Interior and AJK authorities have not disclosed the specific security triggers behind the original suspension, but similar restoration patterns in the past suggest that connectivity is typically expanded further once initial monitoring arrangements are confirmed to be functioning as intended. Telecom operators in the region have also been coordinating with the AJK Home Department to align network configurations with the whitelisting requirements, a process that officials say is essential to ensuring the restored connectivity remains within the approved scope for each district. Further announcements are expected as the rollout continues in the days ahead.
