ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is set to block unregistered VPNs (Virtual Private Networks across the country.
During a meeting of Senate committee on IT and Telecom, chaired by Senator Palwasha Khan, the PTA Chairman revealed that there have been numerous complaints about social media apps, with 95% related to TikTok, 65% concerning Meta, and 22% involving X (formerly Twitter).
In response to a question from Senator Humayun Mohmand about whether VPN use by lawmakers would contravene policy, the PTA Chairman clarified that the authority is aiming to implement internet restrictions similar to those in Dubai and China.
The PTA Chairman also noted that 20,500 VPNs have been registered with the authority and announced an ongoing campaign to encourage further registration. He warned that unregistered VPNs will be blocked in the future.
To ensure business continuity, including for software houses, call centers, freelancers, and foreign missions, the PTA has introduced a “one-window” operation for IP and VPN registration.
This streamlined process is available through the PTA and Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) websites.
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Since 2020, over 20,000 IPs have been registered under this initiative, which is a joint effort by the PTA, the Ministry of Information Technology (MOIT), PSEB, and the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA). Businesses are encouraged to register their VPNs to maintain secure and uninterrupted operations.
In a related issue, senior journalist Hamid Mir has filed a petition with the Islamabad High Court challenging the installation of firewalls and internet shutdowns.
Represented by lawyer Imaan Mazari, Mir’s petition argues that these measures have significantly reduced internet speeds, negatively impacting the digital economy and the youth, who are vital to its development.
