ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Interior has directed the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to block unauthorized Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), citing their growing misuse as a threat to national security and public morality.
In a letter, the ministry highlighted the increasing exploitation of VPNs by terrorists for activities such as concealing communications and facilitating financial transactions.
“VPNs are being used by terrorists to obscure and conceal their communications,” the letter stated, adding that unregulated VPNs are also being used to access pornographic and blasphemous content discreetly. The ministry emphasized the need to curb such activities to protect public morality and national security.
Globally, VPNs are widely used to bypass restricted content. In Pakistan, their usage surged after the government banned the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) earlier this year on grounds of national security. Despite restrictions, Pakistanis reportedly make up to 20 million daily attempts to access blocked explicit content using unregistered VPNs.
Addressing concerns over public morality, the ministry pointed out that Pakistan is among the countries with high traffic to pornographic sites through VPNs. It urged stricter measures to prohibit unauthorized VPNs to address these critical threats.
The ministry requested the PTA to block illegal VPNs nationwide while ensuring that legitimate, registered users remain unaffected. It also proposed a registration deadline for VPNs with the PTA by November 30, 2024.
This move follows intensified efforts by the PTA to regulate VPN use and introduce a streamlined registration process. Earlier this week, the PTA held a consultative session with representatives from the Ministry of IT & Telecommunication (MoIT&T), the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB), and the Pakistan IT Association (P@SHA) to discuss a framework for VPN registration aimed at fostering a secure environment for the country’s IT and e-commerce sectors.
In its statement, the PTA announced a new online platform for VPN registration, allowing IT companies, freelancers, and other stakeholders to register their VPNs at ipregistration.pta.gov.pk. The initiative aims to ensure uninterrupted access for legitimate users while supporting Pakistan’s growing digital economy.
The VPN registration process, initially launched in 2010, has so far registered approximately 20,500 VPNs, with over 1,422 companies completing the registration process. This recent development underscores the government’s commitment to regulating VPN usage while balancing security concerns and the needs of Pakistan’s expanding digital landscape.
