VPNs
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has begun blocking unregistered Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) across the country, a move aimed at strengthening security and restricting access to illegal or objectionable content.
Sources within the PTA confirmed to ProPakistani that unregistered VPNs are being blocked through a firewall, and the process is temporary while they undergo a whitelisting procedure.
The authority highlighted the security risks posed by unregistered VPNs, as they could potentially allow access to sensitive data and facilitate access to illegal material.
The initiative to register VPNs began in 2020, and since then, approximately 20,500 VPNs have been registered, with more than 1,422 companies completing the registration process.
PTA sources emphasized the importance of accelerating the VPN registration and whitelisting process to ensure the security of public and organizational data.
VPNs have long been used to circumvent restrictions and provide access to restricted content, but unregistered services can also be used to access harmful or illegal material.
Countries like China, Russia, Iran, Turkey, and several others have already implemented similar measures to block unregistered VPNs as part of their efforts to control internet security and prevent the spread of illegal content.
Additionally, nations such as the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia have imposed restrictions, permitting VPNs only for business use, and blocking access for personal or unregistered users.
In Pakistan, while VPN use for personal purposes has not been fully banned, there are efforts to regulate and control these services to safeguard against potential misuse.
However, this recent PTA move has led to widespread complaints from users who rely on free VPNs to access blocked services, especially the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
Users have reported difficulties in using free VPN services, with many of them no longer working as they did before the crackdown.
Notably, despite the government’s ban on X in Pakistan, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has been observed to post on the platform using a VPN, further complicating the ongoing debate over VPN use in the country.
When contacted, PTA’s spokesperson did not respond to questions regarding the specific reasons for the VPN shutdown or the status of the ongoing efforts to regulate these services.
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