Govt to ban VPN across Pakistan?

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has announced plans to introduce a new policy regulating the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) nationwide.

PTA Chairman Hafeezur Rehman stated that only approved VPNs will function in Pakistan once the policy is implemented.

The move comes after a significant surge in VPN usage in 2024, primarily to access the blocked social media platform X (formerly Twitter).

According to a report by Top10VPN, demand for Virtual Private Networks increased by 131% on February 19, two days after X was blocked. Surfshark, a VPN provider, also reported a 300-400% increase in new user acquisition rates in Pakistan following the ban.

Despite the ban, 30% of X users in Pakistan continue to access the platform through VPNs, raising questions about the effectiveness of the ban. The PTA chief noted that a blanket ban on Virtual Private Networks would lead to the collapse of several IT businesses operating on VPNs.

This is not the first attempt to regulate Virtual Private Networks in Pakistan. Previous efforts, including a 2010 VPN regulation and a 2022 registration drive, have been met with limited success.