The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is working to introduce a new policy to regulate the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPN) across the country.
PTA Chairman Hafeezur Rehman announced that after the new policy, only approved VPNs will work in Pakistan.
VPN usage in Pakistan increased in 2024 when social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter was banned by the PTA.
According to a report by Top10VPN, VPN demand spiked by 131% on February 19, just two days after X was blocked.
VPN provider Surfshark also noted a 300-400% rise in new user registrations in Pakistan post-ban.
Rehman stated that the number of X users in Pakistan has declined by 70% since the ban, with only 30% still using the platform via VPNs.
Despite this, the high usage of VPNs to bypass the ban raises concerns about its effectiveness.
Also read: PTA opposes blocking of 500,000 non-filers’ SIMs
Rehman also maintained that government has the power to ban VPNs but but it could negatively impact on businesses as IT sector rely on them.
It is important to mention here that this is not the first attempt to regulate VPNs in Pakistan.
Earlier efforts, such as the 2010 regulation and a 2022 registration drive, have seen limited success.
