The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on Tuesday dispelled rumours circulating in the media, clarifying that Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are not being blocked in the country.
VPNs, commonly used to maintain privacy and access blocked content, saw a surge in usage in Pakistan in 2024, particularly after the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) was blocked on February 19. A report by Top10VPN, an independent VPN review website, noted a 131% increase in VPN demand just two days after the ban on X.
In response to recent reports suggesting a nationwide VPN ban, the PTA issued a statement quashing the rumours. “VPNs are not being blocked in Pakistan,” the authority confirmed, while encouraging IT companies, freelancers, software houses, and banks to register their IP addresses for uninterrupted VPN access.
The PTA emphasized that VPN registration is a simple process, available through a “one-window operation” on both the PTA and Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) websites. The procedure is free of charge and typically takes two to three days to complete.
While the PTA denied blocking VPNs, the regulator’s head mentioned in August that efforts are underway to regulate VPN usage, potentially whitelisting certain proxy networks and blocking others.
Earlier, Information Technology Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja acknowledged that widespread VPN use was contributing to internet slowdowns. “The internet has neither been shut down nor slowed by the state. The slowdown was caused by a large number of users switching to VPNs,” she stated, while refraining from naming the apps or services affected.
PTA’s latest statement aims to reassure the public that VPNs remain accessible, though users are encouraged to register their IP addresses to avoid disruptions.
